Home remedies for acne scars: what evidence shows

People search for a natural way to remove acne scars fast, often "in a week." The medical sources this guide checked give a clear answer: no home remedy removes acne scars in a week, and most scars that change the shape of the skin need a dermatologist to improve. There are still useful things to do at home. This guide separates what the evidence supports from what it does not, and flags the remedies that can make skin worse. For the full list of medical treatments, see acne scar treatment.

First, check what you are treating

Two different things get called acne scars:

• Flat marks. A red, pink, brown or bluish gray spot with a smooth surface. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) calls this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and says it "usually fades over time." A spot a few shades darker than your skin "will usually fade within 6 to 12 months," the AAD says.
• Scars. A dent below the skin around it, or a firm bump above it. The AAD says acne scars "can fade. However, they rarely go away."

If your marks are flat, the guides on dark marks after pimples and how long dark marks take to fade will help more than this one.

Can acne scars go away naturally in a week?

No source this guide checked describes any treatment, natural or medical, that removes acne scars in a week. Even dermatologist treatment takes months. The AAD says acne scar treatment rarely takes a single session: "You may need three or more treatments to get the best results." It adds that "it takes time for your body to make collagen and elastin," the proteins that fill sunken scars. The NHS says scars in general can take "up to 2 years or more" to fade. A product that promises to erase scars in days is promising more than the medical evidence supports.

What helps at home, according to the sources

Step	What it does	Source
Protect scars from the sun	Keeps scars and marks from darkening	NHS: keep a scar covered in the sun "for at least 1 year" and use SPF 30 or more. AAD: sun can darken treated skin
Treat active acne	Prevents new scars	AAD: "Preventing acne can prevent acne scars"
Stop picking and squeezing	Lowers inflammation and scarring	AAD: picking "can increase inflammation, leading to scarring"
A retinoid or salicylic acid	Can make mild scarring less noticeable	AAD acne scar treatment page
Silicone gel or sheets, for raised scars	Can reduce the size, hardness and redness of raised scars	AAD scar treatment page; NHS pharmacist advice
Massage with a water-based cream	Advised for healed scars in general	NHS
Skin camouflage makeup	Covers scars while you decide on treatment	NHS

The retinoid step has its own guide, tretinoin for acne scars, which covers what the trials found. Silicone and raised scars are covered in raised acne scars. For acne itself, the free Skinli acne plan builds a routine around benzoyl peroxide 2.5 percent and adapalene 0.1 percent and tells you when to see a doctor.

Popular home remedies and what the evidence says

Aloe vera

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, says two small studies suggest that aloe gel applied to the skin, together with other treatments, "may improve acne." That research is on acne. This guide found no study of aloe on acne scars. The NCCIH says aloe gel on the skin is "generally well tolerated," but people have reported "burning, itching, rash, and eczema."

Vitamin E

Many people put vitamin E on scars, a 1999 study noted. That study in Dermatologic Surgery tested this on surgical scars, with vitamin E on one half of each scar and a plain ointment on the other. In 90 percent of cases, vitamin E on the skin had no effect on how the scar looked or made it look worse, and 33 percent of people developed contact dermatitis, an itchy rash from something touching the skin. A 2016 review of six studies found "there is not yet sufficient evidence" that vitamin E alone helps scars. The 1999 study used surgical scars, and the review covered scars in general.

Onion extract and other scar creams

The AAD says: "You'll find non-prescription scar treatments that contain ingredients such as onion extract, vitamin A, and vitamin E. Research on how well these work is limited. Before using one of these, the AAD recommends that you speak with a board-certified dermatologist." A 2023 review found a "lack of evidence to support the widespread use" of creams and gels for acne scars.

Chamomile and tea bags

The AAD's 2025 news release on DIY acne tricks quotes a dermatologist saying there "isn't enough evidence to support using it as an acne treatment," and advising "against using chamomile directly from tea bags on the skin, because it could cause irritation."

Remedies that can make skin worse

Lemon juice

Lemon juice is often suggested for lightening scars. A 2024 review in the journal Life lists lemon, lime and bitter orange among the citrus fruits that contain furocoumarins, natural chemicals "that can lead to phytophotodermatitis." That is a skin reaction that happens when these chemicals touch the skin and the skin is then exposed to sunlight. The review lists "erythema, fluid blisters, edema, and hyperpigmentation" as the damage, meaning redness, blisters, swelling and dark patches. Dark patches are the same problem many people with acne marks are trying to fade. This guide found no evidence that lemon juice improves acne scars.

Baking soda and toothpaste

The AAD's adult acne page asks whether toothpaste works on acne and answers: "Absolutely not!" Another dermatologist on the same page says toothpaste "often contains abrasive ingredients like calcium or baking soda, whitening agents like peroxide, color, and flavor. None of these ingredients fight acne, but they can irritate or harm your skin." This guide found no evidence that baking soda helps acne scars.

Strong acid peels bought online

Some sellers market high-strength peels for home use against acne scars. In 2024, the FDA warned that many contain trichloroacetic, glycolic, salicylic or lactic acid "in varying concentrations that are too high to be used safely at home," and that they "may cause severe chemical burns, pain, swelling, infection, skin color changes, and disfiguring scars." A dermatologist can do a peel safely; see chemical peels for acne scars.

At-home microneedling rollers

The AAD says home microneedling can irritate skin if overused, cause infection or scarring if the device pierces the skin, spread warts and herpes, and cause "scarring or changes to your skin's color or texture" if you press too hard. See microneedling for acne scars.

What fades flat dark marks at home

Flat marks are where home care does the most. The AAD's guide to dark spots in darker skin tones says "effective treatment for dark spots and patches begins with sunscreen." It recommends a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide, an ingredient that blocks visible light, plus SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum protection and water resistance. Apply it before going outside to all skin that clothing won't cover. The AAD says this "can prevent new dark spots and patches. It can also help to clear existing ones."

Once the skin is protected, the AAD says a product with one of these ingredients can help fade dark spots: azelaic acid, glycolic acid, kojic acid, a retinoid (retinol, tretinoin, adapalene gel or tazarotene), or vitamin C. These ingredients work on color, so they suit flat marks. The guides vitamin C for dark spots and hyperpigmentation explain how to use them.

Why leaving spots alone matters

Picking is one of the few scar risks you control. The AAD says acne scars are more likely when you "picked, popped, squeezed, or scratched the acne," because it "can increase inflammation, leading to scarring." NICE, the UK body that writes treatment guidelines, tells doctors to advise that "persistent picking or scratching of acne lesions can increase the risk of scarring." The guide should you pop a pimple covers what to do with a spot instead.

Covering scars while you decide

The NHS describes skin camouflage: "special creams and powders" that are color-matched to your skin "so it's less noticeable." In the UK, a GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself. Elsewhere, ask a dermatologist or pharmacist about camouflage products. Camouflage changes only how a scar looks, and it can help while you plan treatment.

When to see a dermatologist

See a dermatologist if dents or bumps bother you, if acne keeps leaving new scars, or if a raised scar keeps growing. The AAD says a dermatologist can minimize the look of scars, and that "newer treatments improve the results that people see after treatment." The guide are acne scars permanent explains which scars change on their own. Skinli gives general education and is not a doctor.