Sometimes scars can look interesting and add character to your look, but most of the time they just look unsightly, like any other blemish on your skin. Do you have any of these ugly scars and are wondering how to get rid of them? Maybe you’ve thought about getting laser treatments or other kinds of semi-invasive procedures in order to help fade particularly conspicuous scars.

Why to use essential oils for scars?

The very word “scar” makes one thing of something that is impossible or difficult to erase, but actually you can diminish the look of a scar fairly easily with the right essential oils. The advantage of these over some commercial products is that essential oils are 100% natural, so if that means anything to you, why not let nature take care of your skin and rid you of the scars that have been haunting you for years? This is also quite cheaper than going to a plastic surgeon, so it’s worth trying first before shelling out thousands of dollars in order to have nice, clear skin.

Now, what are the best essential oils for scars? Well, there are actually quite a few that will do the trick, and you might even want to use some of them in conjunction with each other. Let’s take a look:

Best Essential oils for Scars

• Neroli

This essential oil contains a natural chemical known as citral. This substance is well-known for promoting cell regeneration, and it can help your skin cells to shed and replace themselves faster. In addition to helping lighten the appearance of scars through this action, it can also help your skin remain more elastic, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, and can help heal damaged blood vessels in the skin. Because it also has antiseptic properties and can help with the oil balance of the skin, it makes a good acne treatment as well.

• Myrrh

Myrrh also can help promote skin regeneration, thus revealing younger, healthier skin underneath and healing scars over time. It is anti-inflammatory as well, and helps to keep the skin firm and elastic. If your skin has suffered sun damage, Myrrh is a good oil to use for skin treatment.

• Frankincense

As you might imagine, Frankincense has similar properties as Myrrh, which make them both not only fine gifts from the Magi, but also wonderful tools to promote the new growth of skin cells. Frankincense is cytophylactic, so it both protects and helps to induce your body to create new skin. It helps with the skin’s sebum balance which will protect against acne, and it can also lessen fine lines and wrinkles.

• Helichrysum

Also known as “everlasting” and “immortelle because flowers keep their brilliant color even when dried, Helichrysum helps your scars to heal faster due to its high levels of diketones, a substance that promotes tissue growth. It will also help heal and prevent skin damage from a number of sources, thanks to the fact that it has antioxidant properties and protects your skin from free radicals. It will also moisturize the skin and help reduce irritation through its anti-inflammatory properties. As an anti-bacterial, it can help keep your skin clean and disinfected. This is particularly important in the prevention of scars, since many times infection can exacerbate their ugly appearance.

• Lavender

Lavender helps in a number of ways. Because of its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, it can help your wounds to heal faster, thus preventing scars from forming in the first place. It can help your skin to form healthier cells, as well as reduce the occurrence of acne, which naturally helps to avoid acne scars. In addition, it can prevent and treat wrinkles. Many people also use it to treat their psoriasis or other conditions that are caused by the body’s inflammatory response, since lavender is naturally anti-inflammatory. Out of all of the essential oils for scars, this one is probably the most all-purpose solution.

• Rose

If you’re looking to fight aging or to improve your skin elasticity in addition to reducing scars, try Rose oil. This essential oil inhibits water loss in the skin and lowers the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol. It is anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, so it helps to protect the skin from infection as well as loss of tone. It can also help improve your blood circulation and reduce discoloration of the skin, especially the kind caused by age.

• Carrot Seed

You’re probably already familiar with the wonderful properties of carrots and how vitamin-rich they are. Carrot seed oil is full of beta-carotene, which is a powerful anti-oxidant and will help your skin fight the free radicals that age the cells. In this way, it can help to heal scars and skin damage due to aging or sun exposure. It can also help bring balance to the skin’s oil-producing glands.

• Geranium

Geranium has cicatrisant properties, so it helps scars to fade over time. It helps to lift the skin as well, and reduces swelling due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Being antiseptic, it helps to balance the sebum produced by the skin and helps prevent infection. It nourishes the skin and tightens it, in addition to promoting circulation and healing broken capillaries.

• Tea Tree

As you may already know, Tea Tree oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal , and antiviral properties, which is why it is commonly used to treat acne. But it is also a good first aid to disinfect wounds and skin and healing. In addition, it can help reduce redness and irritation on your skin due to its antibacterial properties.

• Clary Sage / Sage:

Sage has many healing properties and can help your wounds heal the right way before they can turn into scars. If you already have scars, sage can also help promote skin regeneration and can particularly help keloid scars to fade. It’s also a great moisturizer for the skin. Don’t use this essential oil while you are pregnant.

How to use essential oils for scars:

Essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil to a maximum of 5% . So for every 1 ml (20 drops) of carrier oil, you would add 1 drop of EO.

These are the most recommended carrier oils for scar healing due to its regenerative, calming and anti-inflammatory properties:

Best carrier oils for Scars:

Rosehip seed oil, Tamanu oil, Calendula oil
note: Use Hazelnut instead of Rosehip seed if you are still prone to an acne outbreak.

Best butter oils for scars:

The fatty acids and antioxidants in both shea butter and coconut oil have been shown to inhibit keloid scar tissue and repair skin.

Best recipe for scars:

This is a powerful recipe to fade scars. This blend should be applied to the scar a couple times a day Please note that the more mature the scar, the longer you’ll need time to treat it before you see it beginning to fade. So in some cases it may take as long as 3 to 6 months before you might see results:

2 drops Myrrh
4 drops Frankincense
2 drops Neroli
2 drops Helichrysum
10 ml Rosehip seed oil
Blend together and store in a dark glass bottle.

Caution: certain essential oils should be avoided by pregnant women, infants, and young children. If you have sensitive skin be sure to do a patch test to make sure your skin does not have an adverse reaction to the oils. The inner forearm is a great place to do a test since the skin is delicate, similar to facial skin.

These are the most highly recommended essential oils for scars. Thanks to its cicatrisant and tissue regenerative properties essential oils are a natural and effective alternative in the treatment of new and old scars, after-marks of boils, surgical scars, scars from mole/wart and improving the appearance of your skin.