Products to Remove Acne Scars
Acne scarring is the cause of too little or too much collagen production when acne is healing, and it results in permanent skin textural changes.
Luckily, there are products you can use to help aid your skin’s natural healing process and improve the appearance of scarring.
My personal acne scar journey has been a long, multi-year process, but I’ve found products that have helped me on the journey to healing, and greatly helped with the appearance of my scarring, mostly at-home microneedling tools, copper peptide serum at night, and Vitamin C serum during the day.
The 8 Best Acne Scar Removal Products
There are quite a few acne scar removal products, and most work by removing the top layer of damaged skin and/or helping the skin have the ingredients it needs to repair itself underneath.
The skin heals in layers, and regenerates a new top layer once every 27 days.
Here are the best ones you can use at home to help treat acne scarring.
- Micro-needling Derma-Roller: The acnescar.org acne scar microneedling roller is hands-down my favorite acne scar removal and treatment product.
The microneedling roller can only be used once every few weeks, because you have to give skin time to repair and heal inbetween each use. It works by stimulating the skin’s healing response and helping remove top layers of damaged scarred skin. It also opens the skin up to better receive healing serums and product so it works great in conjunction with nightly copper peptide use, and morning Vitamin C use to promote more effective healing.
- Vitamin C Serum: Using Vitamin C serum as part of your morning routine, especially when you microneedled at home or in-clinic the night or few days before, is a great way to help your skin boost collagen production and help the healing process. Vitamin C is also great for helping with discoloration due to acne scarring, sun spots and other causes.
- Super Copper Peptide Serum:Copper Peptides are great to use at night, due to their bright blue color, to give the skin healing ingredients. They are especially effective when used in conjunction with microneedling, which allows them to penetrate deeper into the skin. If you are using Copper Peptides and Vitamin C at the same time, note that you should use them separately, with the Vitamin C in the morning as part of your routine, and the Copper Peptides at night as part of your routine since the Copper Peptides oxidize the Vitamin C reducing its effectiveness when used on top of each other.
- Moisturizing Gels: Derma E, Arnica, and other gels that provide and lock in moisture are helpful to use to keep moisture in while your skin is healing from micro-needling to ensure optimal smooth skin healing. I like to layer a moisturizing gel on top of my copper peptide cream at night, and on top of my Vitamin C serum mornings after microneedling to help lock in the ingredients and moisture to promote healing.
- Moisturizing Oils: Using a moisturizing oil instead of a thick moisturizer is helpful for those with acne and acne scarring, and it is more natural and can even be a cheaper option than many traditional moisturizers. I like using Argan Oil as my morning moisturizer, which I apply alongside the Vitamin C each morning and after I shower. I see good results right away, and it helps my skin stay healthy and moisturized over time.
I also don’t use harsh soap based cleansers anymore that strip the skin of natural oils and have seen a huge skin improvement. I like to use an avocado based moisturizing oil to take off makeup and clean skin at the end of each day because it doesn’t dry my skin out and strip it of essential oils like soap-based cleansers do. Instead it cleans and adds natural moisture that helps my skin stay acne and scar free
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is great to use on skin before micro-needling at home, and it also works as a skin cleanser and moisturizer.
- Exfoliating Creams: Exfoliation helps remove damaged layers of skin, and exfoliation creams including LacSal exfoliation cream can be applied each morning and sits on the skin to loosen damaged scarred skin on the top. Scarred skin has a weaker structure than healthy skin which is why exfoliation is so effective in removing damaged scarred areas while keeping healthy skin intact.
- Acne Scar Treatment Kit: This acnescar.org kit is great for anyone unsure of where to start but wants a light intro to using a Derma-pen at-home along with Vitamin C to help boost collagen production while the skin is healing. The kit contains a Derma Pen, 70% Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the derma pen after using each time, Vitamin C Serum to help the skin heal, as well as Derma-E scar gel to help the Vitamin C and moisture stay on the skin while it heals.
How to use the Acne Scar Removal Products
The acne scar removal products mentioned above can be used on their own, or together for maximum results. Here is a process of how the products are meant to be used:
The acne scar removal product process:
- Before bed, lightly roll the derma-roller with an even pressure back and forth 5 times in different directions over each scarred area. Don’t roll on areas with active acne or open wounds.
- Put the derma-roller in 70% isopropyl alcohol solution for 5 minutes after using it to clean and disinfect it for the next use.
- After rolling the derma-roller over each area, put a light layer of copper peptide cream over each area and let it dry for a few minutes before going to sleep.
- In the morning, rinse it off and use moisturizing oils and Vitamin C serum as part of your skincare routine.
- Every night after put the copper peptide cream on as a thin layer.
- Wait 2-3 weeks before using the derma-roller again, to give skin time to rebuild.
- Only use the specific derma-roller 5 times, then you’ll want to get a new one to avoid dullness and don’t use it if you see a bent blade.
This is the routine I’ve used the past few months and years, and here are some of the before/after results I’ve seen as my skin has been able to start naturally healing over time:
