The Best Essential Oils for Reducing Scars (Evidence Based)
Using essential oils for scars can help to reduce their visible appearance and may make them less noticeable. The best oils for scars help scars heal naturally and can prevent too much scar tissue from developing. Some of the best essential oils to make scars heal faster include lavender oil, rosemary oil, helichrysum oil, and frankincense oil.
Since essential oils to treat scars naturally are very concentrated, you need to mix them with a good carrier oil. Carrier oils also help wounds and scars heal faster because they provide a protective barrier that can prevent infections while moisturizing the scar area. Some good oils to use for reducing scars include vitamin E oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and rosehip oil.
In this article, you will learn about the best essential oils for scars. You will also find out how to use essential oils for wound healing to minimize scars.
How Essential Oils Help to Reduce Scars
Many essential oils are good for scars because they have an antibacterial effect and can help wounds heal naturally. Making a scar cream at home to treat wounds also prevents collagen from forming too quickly which can result in scar tissue.
Research from 2017 found that essential oils are commonly used to treat scars and scabs, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and treat skin infections. Essential oils help scars heal faster because they rejuvenate the skin, promote natural healing, and improve the formation of scar tissue. (1)
Some of the best essential oils for scars mentioned in the research were frankincense oil, neroli oil, carrot seed oil, helichrysum oil, and lavender essential oil. Many of these oils also help treat acne and can prevent acne scars on your face, back, or chest. (1)
On the benefits of using essential oils for scars, researchers found that lavender oil improves the formation of scar tissue caused by sunburn, wounds, cuts, or dermal burns. (2)
Why Scars Form
Scars form as part of the natural healing process after a deep cut in the skin or a surgery. Many people look for ways to reduce surgical scars naturally because they can leave distressing or unpleasant marks on the skin.
According to the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, scars appear after a deep wound heals. The scarring happens due to the increase of collagen in the dermal layer. In scar tissue, there is more collagen type I and type III which leads to the appearance of a scar. (3)
Scar tissue generally doesn’t have any sweat glands, sebaceous glands, or hair follicles. (4)
Although most people want to know how to heal scars quickly, it is good to remember that the healing process is dependent on a number of factors. The speed at which scars heal depends on your age, health, skin type, and the extent of injury. (5)
Natural remedies to heal scars fast can help to reduce the appearance of scar tissue. However, it may not always be possible to completely remove the scar. Completely removing scars for good can even be challenging for many doctors and plastic surgeons. (5)
Types of Scars
The best way to heal scars can depend on the type of scar you have and the reason for scarring. Here are some of the common types of scars that may or may not be possible to remove naturally.
Fine line scars form after an incision in the skin during surgery or injury with a knife or sharp object. The scar may look like a faint white line on the skin and the scar can sometimes almost disappear naturally.
Widespread scars can develop if fine line scars stretch and widen. As with fine line scars, widespread scars don’t become raised scars but appear flat, pale, and soft.
Stretch marks can develop after pregnancy or rapid weight loss. The scarring usually appears as red stretched lines under the skin and, with proper care, these scars may heal naturally. For example, shea butter can help improve the skin’s elasticity and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. (6)
Acne scars form because pustules or cysts damage the deeper areas of the skin. Acne scars can leave the skin with a dimpled look because fat layers under the skin were damaged. Acne scars are also referred to as icepick scars, boxcar scars, or rolling scars. (7)
Hypertrophic scars are raised scars that form due to too much collagen forming in the deep wound. Hypertrophic scars can be itchy, sore, and have a red appearance. (8)
Keloid scars can be very difficult, if not impossible to remove. Keloid scars appear as a bump or lump and often appears after piercing, surgery, acne, or burning. Sometimes, keloid scars become inflamed and cause pain and discomfort. (8)
The Best Essential Oils for Scars
If you want to know how to heal a scar faster using essential oils, please read on to find out how you could help reduce scars naturally.
Helichrysum Essential Oil to Heal Scars Naturally
One of the best oils for scars is helichrysum as it helps prevent infections in wounds and promotes natural wound healing.
Researchers have found that compounds in helichrysum have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that help wounds heal faster. Applying helichrysum to a healing wound helped prevent bacterial infections and also promoted healthy collagen development. (9)
Other studies have found that applying helichrysum essential oil helps heal scars because it prevents too much collagen III from forming. Scientists found that helichrysum oil for scars helps wounds heal and new tissue to develop properly. (10)
At the end of this article, you will find out how to use helichrysum oil and other essential oils to create a natural scar cream.
Further reading: Helichrysum Essential Oil – Health Benefits and Best Uses.
Frankincense Essential Oil to Treat Scars
Frankincense oil has wound-healing properties and is another great essential oil you can use to help heal scars.
Scientific studies have revealed that frankincense essential oil helps with every stage of wound healing. Frankincense oil helps scars heal faster because it lowers levels of collagen III in scar tissue. This can help wounds heal quickly and minimize the appearance of scars. (11)
Find out more about the health benefits of frankincense essential oil for scars, keeping your skin healthy, and helping fall asleep faster.
Lavender Essential Oil to Help Heal Scars on Face
Lavender oil is a great all-around essential oil for your skin that helps treat acne, disinfects wounds, and treats scars.
The best oil for scars should help to lower levels of type I and III collagen as the wound is healing. Studies have shown that lavender essential oil helps control collagen synthesis and promotes natural wound healing. (12) Lavender helps healthy tissue regrow in the wound and may reduce the appearance of scars after surgery.
Another reason why lavender essential oil is good for scars is that it has antioxidant properties. Research published in 2016 found that the antioxidant potential of lavender enhances wound contraction and protein synthesis. These are both important factors in helping heal scars naturally. (13)
Lavender oil also helps to treat acne outbreaks and help pimples, pustules, and cysts heal faster. If you are bothered with facial acne, using lavender to kill off acne-causing bacteria can help spots disappear quickly and prevent scarring on your face.
Learn about other essential oils that can improve your complexion and reduce the number of pimples on your skin.
You can also find out more why lavender is a great essential oil for getting beautiful hair, a healthy scalp, and reducing skin irritation.
Rosemary Essential Oil for Scars
One of the best essential oils for cuts is rosemary oil because it can help wounds heal with the minimum of scarring.
The International Journal of Nanomedicine reported that rosemary essential oil contains compounds beneficial for healing scars. Using rosemary essential oils in skin creams can help enhance wound healing. One study found that rosemary helps tissue regeneration, prevents wound infection, and reduces scar formation. (14)
Rosemary is also one of the essential oils for treating acne scars. Studies have shown that rosemary kills off bacteria that causes acne breakouts. Using natural remedies that include rosemary extracts can help prevent scars from forming by helping heal acne pimples quicker. (15)
There are many more uses for rosemary oil than just helping to heal scars fast. For example, find out how to use rosemary essential oil for treating hair loss naturally.
Sandalwood Essential Oil for Scar Treatment
If you want to help heal a scar faster, you should use sandalwood oil for wound healing and scar removal.
The reason why sandalwood is among the best oils for scars is that it helps tissue regenerate naturally as wounds heal. East Indian sandalwood has proven efficacy in treating acne, eczema, and other inflammatory skin conditions that can lead to dermal scarring. (16)
Also applying sandalwood to wounds suppressed inflammatory responses while healing. This helps types of cells to form that benefit wound healing. (16)
Learn more about ways you can use sandalwood oil for healthy-looking skin. Sandalwood is among the essential oils that are good for wrinkles, soothing skin rashes, and treating eczema.
Tea Tree Oil for Scars and Wound Healing
Tea tree oil may not be able to get rid of old scars quickly; however, it can help wounds heal by preventing infections from developing.
One of the reasons that tea tree oil can help heal scars on your face and other parts of the body is because it is a natural treatment for acne. Tea tree oil helps treat acne cysts that often cause scarring and reduces the number of skin lesions. (17)
Compounds in tea tree oil such as terpinen-4-ol have powerful antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Applying skin remedies containing tea tree oil helps to speed up wound healing and help resolve a number of dermatological conditions. (18)
One study found that a combination of propolis, aloe vera, and tea tree oil helps reduce inflammation in scar tissue as it was healing. (19)
You can read more about how to use aloe vera to help get rid of scars quickly. If you suffer from acne, learn how tea tree oil can help get rid of pimples and prevent acne scarring.
Chamomile Oil May Help Heal Scars Naturally
Using chamomile oil can help prevent scars from developing on wounds caused by irritation and scratching.
The International Journal of Molecular Science reported that applying chamomile oil can help reduce irritation and itching in eczema. (20)
Studies have also shown that chamomile has an antibacterial effect and help wounds heal faster. One study found that chamomile was better than corticosteroids for wound healing. Wounds contracted faster and healed quicker when using chamomile. (21)
Clary Sage Could Help Make Scars Heal Quickly
Using clary sage essential oil can help avoid scars from developing by preventing wound infections during the healing process.
Wounds that don’t heal because of infection are more subject to scarring and may even result in hypertrophic or keloid scars. (22, 23)
Because of its powerful antibacterial properties, clary sage can help wounds heal quicker and, therefore, make scars heal faster. One study found that clary sage oil killed off Staphylococcus bacterial infections on the skin and promote healthy wound healing. (24)
The journal Burns reported that clary sage is in the list of essential oils that help treat bacterial infection in burn wounds. (25)
Eucalyptus Oil and Olive Oil to Heal Scars Fast
Applying healing eucalyptus oil can assist in healing scars naturally as it promotes good skin health and wound healing.
Researchers in 2017 found that combining eucalyptus oil and olive oil helps support healthy tissue formation in the wound healing process. Researchers found that this combination helped repair wounds and prevent scar formation. (26)
Carrot Seed Essential Oil to Help Get Rid of Scars
If you want to know how to heal a scar faster, you should use some carrot seed oil in your natural scar cream.
When discussing the best essential oils to treat skin conditions, a 2017 review said that carrot seed oil is good for treating many skin conditions. Applying carrot seed oil helps reduce scarring, kills off bacteria, soothes skin inflammation, and heals wounds. (27)
Patchouli oil for Natural Scar Treatment
If you are looking for the best oils for scars, then patchouli essential oil is good for promoting the growth of healthy skin tissue.
Research into the healing properties of patchouli oil has found that it is a “superb tissue regenerator.” Applying patchouli natural remedies to the skin promotes fast wound healing and prevents unsightly scars from forming. (28)
Patchouli is also a good natural treatment for acne, skin irritations, and eczema. Read more about this oil in my article about the best uses for patchouli essential oil.
Neroli oil as Home Remedy for Scars
When used with carrier oils, neroli oil can help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, scars, and help wounds to heal faster.
A report on the best oils to use in dermatology found that neroli (bitter orange) essential oil helps improve the appearance of the skin. Neroli essential oil contains antioxidants that promote healthy skin and prevent scarring. (29)
Best Carrier Oils for Scars
To use essential oils to get rid of scars, you need to mix them with carrier oils to create the best scar cream. Since essential oils are very concentrated, they should be diluted with a carrier oil to prevent skin irritation.
Researchers have found that oils such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and sweet almond oil are all good oils for skin repair and wound healing. (30)
What are the oils for scars that you can add essential oils to? Let’s look briefly at some of the most effective ones.
Rosehip oil For Scars
Rosehip oil is one of the best oils for scars after stitches because it nourishes your skin with vitamin C and accelerates wound healing.
A 2018 study published in the journal Planta Medica reported that rosehip oil promotes healthy wound healing. Applying rosehip to scars that are healing can help to improve their appearance and prevent them from leaving skin marks. The way that rosehip helps treat scars is to prevent the formation of type I and III collagen in the wound. (31)
You can apply rosehip oil directly on to scars after having stitches removed or add a few drops of essential oil(s) for scar healing.
Coconut oil Promotes Wound Healing and Helps Reduce Appearance of Scars
You can also use coconut oil for scars if you want to make your own cream for skin repair. Coconut oil contains antimicrobial properties for healthy skin and also helps to moisturize the deep layers of your skin.
One study involving animal subjects found that applying virgin coconut oil helped to boost wound healing. The antimicrobial compound in coconut oil helped boost healthy collagen formation which resulted in better wound tissue. (32)
At the end of the article, you can see how to use coconut oil as a carrier oil for scar repair.
Coconut oil vs cocoa butter for scars
Is there any benefit of using coconut oil rather than cocoa butter for scars? There is some anecdotal evidence that cocoa butter can help improve the appearance of stretch marks. However, studies have shown that using cocoa butter for scars is no more effective than other skin moisturizers. (33)
Calendula Oil as Natural Scar Treatment
Some studies have shown that calendula is an effective treatment to help heal scars fast. Applying calendula cream to wounds helped reduce the wound healing time and boost skin health. (34)
Another study found that aloe vera is a good treatment for scars when combined with calendula. Applying a healing cream with calendula and aloe vera helped boost wound healing. (35)
Emu oil for Scars
Emu oil comes from the emu bird and is rich in fatty acids that help improve your skin health and boost natural wound healing.
Studies have found that applying emu oil helps collagen synthesis and accelerates wound healing. Scientists noted that using emu oil for scars helps increase the number of hair follicles around the scar tissue. This can help to minimize the appearance of scars where hair grows. (36)
Vitamin E Oil is Good for Scars
You can use essential oils along with vitamin E oil to help reduce surgical scars naturally.
A single-blind study found that applying vitamin E oil to a surgical wound helps to prevent post-surgery scarring. Using vitamin E oil made scars heal faster and improved the appearance of skin after a surgical wound healed. (37)
Jojoba oil for Scars
Jojoba oil is a good oil for reducing facial scars because it helps to treat outbreaks of acne and prevent skin infections.
Researchers from Germany found that one way to use jojoba oil to improve the appearance of skin is to use it in a facial mask. Clay mixed with jojoba oil helped reduce the number of lesions in cases of mild acne. (38)
How to Use Essential Oils to Reduce Scars
Using essential oils for scars is a great way to help wounds heal naturally and prevent too much collagen from forming into unsightly scar tissue.
How can you heal a scar faster with natural essential oils? Here is a recipe for a scar cream that combines essential oils with carrier oils.
- Mix a total of 4 drops of any of the essential oils mentioned above with a tablespoon of carrier oil such as coconut oil or rosehip oil.
- Add one vitamin E capsule to the mixture and mix well.
- To help prevent scars from forming, gently massage the essential oil scar remedy to wounds as they are healing. You can use the natural scar remedy to massage onto your scar 2-3 times a day.
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