Amy (CA) on 04/29/2020
Joy2dance (Pensacola, Fl) on 01/09/2018
Kismet (Houston, Texas) on 01/10/2014
I'm an avid fan of this page—and of the holistic, natural approach to treatment. I owe that to at least 15 years (from age 13 to age 30) of terrible skin and associated label reading at Walgreens to treat cysts, white heads, pustules, red inflamed skin, all very painful and awful (where were you then, Earth Clinic?). Lest I sound like I'm issuing an informercial testimonial, I progressively tried the tetracycline, the proactive, sulfur, rubbing alcohol, ibuprofen, salicylic acid lotions, AHAs, blemish pads, creams--I even bought a snail mucus cream (which actually did work but was exorbitantly priced); I popped zits and stuck them with tissue paper doused in hydrogen peroxide—until I finally concluded I was making it much worse by putting more chemicals in my system and on my skin. It was an education in skin care.
So I began a regimen of skin oil moisturizing, finding grape seed oil too drying, but emu oil just right, perfectly moisturizing and soothing. I also switched to a fragrance free salicylic acid face wash with hydrogen peroxide. Things looked up a bit.
Finally, at 30, I had a baby, and my hormones normalized; the acne completely subsided, but my skin was left terribly pocked. Small ice pick lesions dotted my cheeks with the occasional larger flat scars from cysts on the sides of my face. Making it worse is the dilemma of pronounced wrinkles where the facial muscle warps at a scar. So, of course, I begin looking for natural wrinkle remedies and for something to smoothen the overall texture of my skin. I've considered (but have been too chicken to try) derma rolling, at-home salicylic peels; I've rubbed with washcloths, had and broke a Clairsonic, tried a natural retinoid (and panicked at the ensuing, inflamed breakout), a homemade Vit. C serum, did lemon juice glazes.
Truth be told, I am prepared to just live life the way I am but I continue to have experimental urges. Then I came across a Baiden mitten, which is essentially a Turkish hammam bath mitten made of a thin knotted natural fiber that rolls away (by gripping and gathering) the top layer of dead skin. It's the act of a deep peel (not a scrub) with no chemicals that's making my skin respond; I think it's almost being tricked into producing collagen.
I use the mitten to massage with long up and down strokes almost daily in the shower under running water (important) followed by a spritz of a simple 1:3 ACV:water toner, a Vit. C serum (1:7 water: tiny drop of glycerin), and finally, a slathering of argan oil. But weekly, and I think this is what's making all the difference, I really do a hard scrub in up and down or side to side motions with the water off, and I've turned the water off after a long, steamy hot shower. The skin rolls off in clumps.
My skin is often raw (ACV, or even hot water feels scalding) and red (best to do at night), so after a gentle pat down with a towel, I'll slather on a thick layer of extra virgin coconut oil and go to bed. In the morning, my skin looks smoother, plumper, more even. I suppose the mitten opens up and rolls away blackheads, because my nose is seeing good improvement. Blemishes are past, wrinkles getting better, I feel. My skin is glowing, so smooth it reflects light. The icepick scars are flattening, some gone for good, but the cyst scars now tend to stand out a little more (because the rest of my face isn't as pocked). I'm sure with time, I'll see improvements. It's been only two months.
Perhaps the only warning I should issue with this treatment is don't overdo the hard scrub initially until you're aware of how the pressure it can take. At first, I did and scrubbed off the skin to a bleeding point on the bridge of my nose, between my eyes. Didn't take very long to heal but will be sure not to do that again!
Salenai (Bratislava, Slovakia) on 12/03/2013
Keloid Acne Scarred (Vermont) on 11/20/2013
I had been taking Vitamin E capsules for years. It was the only thing that made any difference, but it was slow. But then I started eating soy veggie patties (Morningstar Farms) for breakfast every day and there was a HUGE improvement in my scars. I stopped taking the Vitamin E capsules and kept on eating the soy patties. They must have much more vitamin E than any other foods, and apparently that is what is missing for normal scar formation in the skin.
Keloid scars are huge raised discolored scars. Now after eating the soy patties for a number of years the scars are flat, and the discoloration of quite a number of them have disappeared as well. The thyroid scar is flat as well.
I feel so sorry for people I see with severe acne scars on their face, because if they ate soy the scars would improve and likely disappear. My scarring affected my entire life and I'm sorry I didn't know about solving the problem with soy products earlier in my life.
I like aloe vera gel and Neemaura neem cream for healing any active acne outbreaks. I had been under a lot of stress and then I had a huge boil (abscess? cyst?) break out on my face. I washed my face with neem soap every day, applied witch hazel to the infected area, and followed that by a big glop of aloe vera gel. It is almost completely healed after only a few days, and the swollen red area which had been about a quarter of my whole face, has shrunk to a small area right around the infected pores.
Felicity (Mooresville, Nc, Usa) on 02/20/2013
Even when I don't pick at pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, etc. , I still sometimes get dark marks (hyperpigmentation) after it goes away. Frustrating and not attractive.
I read somewhere that ACV is good for fading the dark marks so I tried it.
What I noticed is that the ACV works well and kind of like a peel. After several days of applying the ACV, the dark spots just peel off.
I use a 50/50 mixture of organic ACV (with the mother) and distilled or reverse osmosis water. I store it covered in a small glass bowl and leave it in the fridge or sometimes the bathroom (if it's not to warm in there).
Mm (Spfd, Nj) on 05/30/2012
Kate (New Windsor, Ny) on 06/29/2011
Cocoandrico (Kingston, Ny, Usa) on 06/20/2011
Brooke (Montgomery, Tx, Usa) on 12/09/2010
Samantha (Driggs, Idaho) on 04/18/2010
Put your money toward make-up lessons. Acne scars don't come off. Ever. No matter how much you spend.
Lt (Odessa, Texas, Usa) on 02/23/2010
I have very sensitive skin when it comes to using oils on my face. I will break out which results in pink scarring that usually lasts some time. I read here that Vitamin E can be used to reduce these scars but I can't find a pure form of it. All I have found thus far includes olive, castor, or certain other types of oil. I'm weary about using these mixtures because I don't want to do any more harm to my skin. Please let me know what kind of Vit. E I can safely use and where I can find it. Thanks so much.
Haley (Houston, Tx) on 01/12/2010
I had mild/severe acne for a short period of time and afterwards, even when the pimples were gone, the skin on my cheeks and chin was scarred. I found that rose hip seed oil worked really well for my skin to help reduce the scarring from my acne. I purchased the oil online and applied it every night to the scar tissue. I'd advise that this only be done if there is no remaining acne.
K (Chicago, IL) on 07/02/2009
