Every Scar Tells A Story

Chances are, you have a scar somewhere on your body. Whether it's large or small, raised or smooth, new or old, we all have, at some point in our lives, made a split second decision or were involved in some kind of incident that left a mark. 

Perhaps you took a spill off of your bike. Maybe you were running and your feet went one way and your body went the other. Maybe your hand slipped, just as you were pounding that last nail. Maybe you had a medical procedure that left a permanent and visible blemish. Maybe you had a baby. Whatever the reason, scars are not always the most welcomed guests at the dinner party. 

Some scars are hidden and do not attract much attention, while others are very prominent and seem to be like conversation starters whenever someone happens to notice them. Every scar tells a tale; it's up to you whether or not it will be able to tell it. If your scar takes center stage, no matter how you try to hide it, and if you are ready to take steps to reduce its appearance naturally, then read on.

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years to reduce or fade the appearance of unwanted scars or blemishes on the body and to help regenerate skin cells and tissue which can layer over the uneven and damaged scar tissue and create a new and healthy overall appearance. Although these marks cannot be erased or removed completely, when used daily, essential oils can push your scar to the background, leaving you free to continue telling that story or joke without any distractions. 

 

Why Use Essential Oils For Scars?

Essential Oils have many different properties in them, depending upon the variety. If you are trying to reduce the appearance of a scar, whether it is old or new, there are certain oils that have highly beneficial antibacterial and antioxidant properties, all which work together to clean, revive, and heal the skin.

Essential oils are well known for their cicatrisant properties. This means that they have the ability to help regenerate the skin at a cellular level, aiding in tissue regrowth. And what does this mean for you? It means that your body will be able to heal itself, slowly regrowing a new group of cells to compensate and replace the old ones that are scarred or blemished in some way. 

 

Therapeutic Carrier Oils

When you want to use essential oils topically for healing, mixing them with a carrier oil can be the most beneficial way to apply on your skin.Some essential oils can be applied directly to the skin without danger. But, for the most part, essential oils need to be mixed or diluted with a carrier oil, such as Coconut, Emu, Tamanu, Rosehip, or Olive.

Not only does this make the skin absorption rate much higher, but it also allows for a more even distribution rate. The easier it is to spread the oil on the affected areas of the body, the greater the beneficial and healing properties of the oil.

Here, at UpNature, we believe in the healing properties of herbs. We know that, when used properly and consistently, it is possible to heal from the inside out or the outside in. 

There are a number of different carrier oils that work well. For scar and blemish reduction and removal,  we recommend Emu oil,  Coconut oil, Rosehip oil, or Tamanu oil, because these oils have specific skin regenerative properties which other oils do not. When used in connection with certain essential oils, these carrier oils can work their magic on your body, leaving your skin looking clean, healthy, and scar free. 

 

Dilution of Essential Oils

There are many different dilution rates for essential oils. How high or low depends upon the use and the condition of the person using them.

If you are using essential oils on children, a .25% dilution rate is perfect. Follow your practitioner or health care provider's direction in these cases, as some oils are just too strong for children and should not be used at all. A .25% dilution rate equals one drop of essential to four teaspoons of carrier oil, or 1:4.

For those over six years of age, or those who are elderly, pregnant, or have sensitive skin, a 1% dilution rate is advised. This is what you get when you purchase a massage oil or a bottle of lotion with essential oils in it. A 1% dilution rate equals one drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil, otherwise measured out as five to six drops per ounce.

For most adults who do not have sensitive skin or other preexisting conditions, a 2% dilution rate is the most common and widely used. This is the dilution rate you will find in most aromatherapy tinctures and premixes. A 2% dilution rate equals two drops per teaspoon of carrier oil, or ten to twelve drops per ounce. 

For those without any preexisting or out of the ordinary conditions who have an injury or muscle pains, or those with upper respiratory issues such as a chest cold, a 3% dilution rate is perfect. This is for stronger, more directive application when a more immediate effect is needed. A 3% dilution rate equals 3 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil, or fifteen to eighteen drops per ounce. 

  

Essential Oils for Scars

If you are trying to reduce or eliminate a scar naturally, these essential oils can help. Applying these oils either on a daily basis is very beneficial to your skin cells, as well as to your overall health, and will help your skin to become more healthy and resilient. 

Although you can choose your carrier oil, Tamanu oil  and Rosehip oil are known to be two of the most effective carrier oils for healing the skin.

 

1. Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense comes from the milky, resinous sap of the Boswellia tree. Used as a natural remedy, as a scintillating and aromatic addition to an environment, and also as an offering to the gods in many ancient and modern cultures, frankincense is known for its amazing scent, as well as for its healing properties. 

Frankincense aids in cell health and regrowth, especially in terms of skin cells. Not only does it reduce the appearance of scars, it also helps to speed up the healing process, helping new cuts and other abrasions disappear. Frankincense is also known to improve skin tone and balance sebum levels, which will allow your skin to grow new skin over the older, scarred skin. 

 You can find Frankincense essential oil at UpNature.

 

2. Calendula Essential Oil

Calendula essential oil is derived from the flowers of the Marigold plant. It is an extremely widely used oil and is well known for its anti-inflammatory and plant- based antioxidant properties which help prevent damage that can be caused by harmful free radicals roaming around in the body. 

Studies have shown that, when Calendula is applied to wounds, it accelerates healing at an alarming rate. Because it helps to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to various parts of the body, cellular regeneration occurs much more rapidly, which means that healing and new skin growth are aided by this amazing plant-based essential oil.

 

3. Carrot Seed Essential Oil

 

Carrot Seed, also known by its Latin name, Daucus carota, when distilled into essential oil, is known to be one of the most effective treatments for scars. Its healing properties are due to its highly antiseptic and antioxidant levels, as well as its high concentrations of Alpha and Beta-Pinene and Beta Carotene. In fact, it is the antioxidants which help fight those ever present and very damaging "free radicals" that threaten the body's immune system on a regular basis. 

Carrot Seed oil also has high levels on vitamin A, which is known to help produce collagen, a necessary component in the regeneration of skin cells and tissue that form in and on the body. The more collagen, the better the chance of your skin's revival, because it helps to smooth out uneven skin and scars on the body and layer in new and healthy cells.

Carrot Seed essential oil is one of the more potent oils, so a .25% dilution rate with your choice of carrier oil is recommended. 

  

4. Myrrh Essential Oil

 

Myrrh essential oil comes from the resin of the Commiphora tree. Originally used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, Myrrh is now widely used throughout the world and is regarded for its incredible aroma and also for its healing properties. 

Due to an abundance of two active naturally occurring compounds, terpenoids and sesquiterpenes, both of which provide excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, Myrrh is well known for its natural ability to treat wounds and regenerate skin cells. 

 

 5. Geranium Essential Oil

 

Geranium, also known as Pelargonium graveolens or Pelargonium x asperum, has been used for centuries on many continents to keep skin looking radiant and healthy. Geranium essential oil is one of the more well known plants with cicatrisant properties, which means that, when used properly, it can be very healing and regenerative. 

Geranium also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties which help balance and strengthen the skin.

Like many of the other essential oils mentioned in this article, Geranium can be diluted at a 1% dilution rate with your preferred carrier oil. 

 

6. Cedarwood Essential Oil

Cedarwood, or Cedrus atlantica, is a tree that grows in Morocco. Although there are many types of cedar, Atlantic cedar is known for its healing properties. Steam distilled from the wood, it produces a thick yellow syrup which is then diluted and made into essential oil.

Known for its antiseptic properties and able to be used by almost any skin type, Cedarwood essential oil is well known for its ability to help clean, condition and regenerate the skin, helping to reduce the appearance of scars and unwanted blemishes.

You can find Cedarwood essential oil at UpNature. 

7. Copaiba Essential Oil

Copaiba essential oil comes from the Brazilian Copaifera reticulata tree. The gum resin, or sap, is extracted and steam distilled and diluted to make essential oil. 

Copaiba oil is widely known to have incredible anti-inflammatory properties, more so than many others, due to its high levels of beta caryophyllene, a nutrient that helps the body heal when it is irritated or injured. In fact, Copaiba oil has some of the highest levels of beta caryophyllene, even more than clove oil!

It also is a strong astringent, which means that it helps strengthen the skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes or scars.

Copaiba is an amazing essential oil, one that has been used for centuries as a tonic and remedy by people all over the world. It is now becoming more widely recognized for its many incredible healing properties and continues to garnish more attention and praise. 

You can find Copaiba essential oil at UpNature.  

 

8. Borage Essential Oil

 

Borage, also known as Borago officinalis, is a diamond in the rough, in terms of skin care. It has a very high concentration of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that travel deep into the skin, revitalizing and regenerating skin cells and tissue.

When used as an essential oil, its abundant levels of salicylic acid, which act as an anti-septic, help tighten and strengthen the skin, reducing redness, blemishes, and scars. 

Overall, when used regularly and mixed with your choice of carrier oil or even on its own, borage essential oil is very effective at treating old or unwanted scars. 

 

9. Lavender Essential Oil

 

Lavender, also known as Lavandula, not only smells amazing, but it is one of nature's most gentle and effective healing tonics for visible scars and blemishes, due to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

When applied regularly, Lavender essential oil can reduce the overall appearance of scars, gradually helping to reduce the growth of new scar tissue. 

Because it is so gentle, Lavender essential oil can be applied without any dilution at all, unlike most other essential oils. It can be used for new cuts, burns, and other blemishes to help promote healing from the inside out immediately, or it can also be applied to existing scars as a general aid in their appearance and size.

You can find Lavender essential oil at UpNature. 

 

10. Hyssop Essential Oil

Hyssop, or Hyssopus Officinalis, is a shrub or bush that grows in Mediterranean countries and has long been thought to be a scared or holy herb. Due to its cleaning (disinfectant) properties, it has been used for centuries as a cleansing oil, both in medical and spiritual practice. 

Hyssop essential oil is another cicatrisant, which means it has very healing and regenerative properties, such as being an antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, and astringent, which make it an excellent choice for a healing oil, tonic, or balm. 

To maximize its effectiveness, mix Hyssop essential oil with a combination of Geranium, Rosemary, and Lavender, as well as your carrier oil of choice. The combination of these three essential oils will create a powerful and effective wound and scar healing treatment. 

 

11. Neroli Essential Oil

Neroli, also known as Citrus Aurantium or Citrus Vulgaris, is a citrus tree that contains wonderful medicinal properties. Extracted by the steam distillation of the small white flowers, Neroli essential oil is also a cicatrisant and  contains high antiseptic, antibacterial, and cytophylactic properties, which means that this essential oil is fantastic for healing new or old wounds and scars. Due to its cytophylactic properties, Neroli oil promotes the regeneration of new skin cells and heals those that are already present.

Neroli is a hand picked crop. It requires nearly one thousand pounds of blossoms to make one pound of oil. As a result of this, it is one of the more expensive essential oils on the market today. But, with its incredible overall healing properties, Neroli has been a perennial favorite among naturopaths and homeopaths for years. 

Neroli also smells amazing. Because it is a member of the citrus family, the blossoms have an delicate and fragrant smell akin to orange blossom. Whatever carrier oil you choose to mix this essential oil with, prepare for your senses to be engaged and your spirits to be lifted.

When made a part of your regular skin care routine, Neroli essential oil will reduce the appearance of your scars, leaving your skin more clear, clean, and beautiful. 

 

12. Sandalwood Essential Oil

 

There are two main types of Sandalwood in existence today with therapeutic and healing properties; Indian Sandalwood, or Santalum Album, and Hawaiian Sandalwood, or Santalum Ellipticum. There is another type, known as Australian Sandalwood, or Santalum Spicatum. Although easy to find and more commercially available, this type does not have any beneficial properties. So, when you are choosing a sandalwood for health, look for either Indian or Hawaiian. Although they are much more expensive, their health benefits far outweigh the cost. 

Sandalwood has long been known as a holy plant and has been used for centuries in many social and religious ceremonies in the Hindu Religion. It also has an incredible aroma and is used in lotions, salves, soaps, incense, and deodorants, among other things. All in all, sandalwood is considered one of the aromatic plants in existence. 

Sandalwood essential oil also carries antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, disinfectant, and cicatrisant properties, making it an invaluable healing oil for wounds and scars. It is powerfully therapeutic, which makes it a versatile and effective treatment for many skin types and conditions. 

When mixed with your choice of carrier oil and used regularly, you will notice a dramatic difference in your skin. Over time, you will find that your scars reduce in appearance and almost disappear!

 

13. Eucalyptus Essential Oil

The Eucalyptus tree, or Eucalyptus Globulus, is native to Australia. The essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves of this evergreen. Eucalyptus has been used for hundred of years for a wide variety of things; from protecting teeth against cavities, to helping with asthma and other respiratory ailments, or even treating lice, this colorless essential oil is an effective treatment for a myriad of things, including the treatment of scars.

Within the Eucalyptus leaves exists a compound known as eucalyptol, which has powerful antiseptic properties. When used on wounds or scars, it forms a protective barrier on the skin and heals it with its germicidal and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a perfect treatment for scars. 

Unlike many other essential oils, Eucalyptus can be taken internally, as well as used topically. Care should always be taken when ingesting any herbs. Consult your health practitioner before taking orally. 

When combined with your choice of carrier oil, Eucalyptus essential oils is an extremely beneficial choice for the healing of old scars and the regeneration of new skin cells. Due to its high concentration of the healing compound, eucalyptol, we highly recommend this oil when used topically for the treatment of scars and old wounds. 

You can find Eucalyptus essential oil at UpNature. 

 

14. Helichrysum Essential Oil  

Helichrysum, otherwise known as Helichrysum Angustifolium or Helichrysum Italicum, is native to the continent of Europe. The oil, steam distilled from the fragrant flower, is not widely grown, making it a highly valuable and sometimes difficult to find essential oil. 

Helichrysum oil has many beneficial properties. Among them are anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, cytophylactic, and cicatrisant. Although all of these are incredibly important, it is the last two which are the most beneficial to the skin. We are familiar, at this point, with the term cicatrisant. This new term, cytophylactic, literally means, "protect the cells of an organism". What this means for you is that Helichrysum essential oil possesses a powerful ability to both protect and regenerate skin cells, making it hard for scars to hold up against the healing prowess of this oil. 

As a side bonus, Helichrysum oil has the ability to help recirculate and redirect blood flow. When you have a new wound, it is crucial for blood to flow to the affected area within eight to ten hours of the wound's appearance on the skin. If blood does not reach the area in time, proper regrowth will not occur. Helichrysum has the ability to help the blood flow and circulate in the body more regularly, helping to aid in healing. 

In terms of scars, it is important that blood constantly and evenly circulates, so that skin regrowth can happen, effectively coating your old scar with new, healthy skin tissue and reducing its appearance. 

Helichrysum, when mixed with your choice of carrier oil and used regularly, will work wonders on your new or old scar. 

 

15. Lemon Essential Oil

 

The lemon has long been recognized for its high levels of Vitamin C, which is a very strong water-soluble antioxidant. Used for hundreds of years as a tonic for a number of ailments and diseases, lemon, in many forms, is widely known for a myriad of uses, including disinfectant and cleaner, insect repellant, breathing aid, zesty cooking accoutrement, immune system booster, tension reducer, and skin tonic, among other things. 

Due to its high levels of Vitamin C, lemon essential oil's function as an immune system booster is vital to skin repair and regeneration. Lemon stimulates the white blood cells, increasing the body's ability to not only fight off disease and other free radicals floating about in the body, but it also helps the body produce healthy, new skin cells that will, eventually cover over the old, dead cells in your scar. 

Lemon essential oil is also an astringent, which means it is detoxifying in nature. It helps the skin feel tighter and more rejuvenated. This means that your skin cells will be able to regenerate new skin cells more easily and productively. 

Did you know that it takes approximately one hundred lemons to make a fifteen- milliliter bottle of essential oil? That's a lot of lemons!  

When used regularly and mixed with your choice of carrier oil, you will see the difference.

 

16. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea Tree essential oil, also known as Melaleuca, has powerful antibacterial, anti-septic, antiviral, stimulant, antimicrobial, and cicatrisant properties. The oil itself is extracted by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs of the plant known as Tea Tree, or Melaleuca Alternifolia. It is a native of Australia, but due to its amazing and beneficial properties, it is commonly found in countries all over the world.

Tea Tree essential oil is, essentially, a cure-all for many topical infections, abrasions, and skin conditions. Due to its cicatrisant properties, it is well known to help heals wounds very rapidly and also diminish scars, due to its healing and regenerative powers. It also acts as a blood stimulant, aiding in overall blood circulation and delivery.

Tea Tree essential oil is a strong and effective antioxidant, able to improve the overall appearance of the skin, as well as reduce blemishes, lines, and scars. By helping to regrow new and healthy skin cells, use of Tea Tree essential oil is one of the most effective remedies for tightening and smoothing the skin, as well as drastically reducing scar tissue. 

When used regularly and mixed with your favorite carrier oil, Tea Tree essential oil will greatly reduce the appearance of scars.

You can find Tea Tree essential oil at UpNature.

 

Essential Oil Blends For Scars

The easiest way to treat scars is to choose a carrier oil, mix your essential oil with it, and apply topically on a daily basis. 

Sometimes though, you might choose to use a blend of essential oils, for maximum potency and healing effect. Here are some ideas for oil combinations that are both soothing and healing. And, as an extra bonus, they smell incredible!

For any of these recipes, find a suitable bottle that is fifteen to twenty milliliters. 

 

• Combine 6 drops of each: Helichrysum, Carrot seed, Lavender, and Frankincense essential oil. Add a quarter cup of Tamanu Oil and fill the remaining space in the bottle with Rosehip Oil.Mix well. Apply at least three times per day.

 

• Combine 30 drops each of the following: Lavender, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Cedarwood. Add one half teaspoon of vitamin E oil. Fill the remaining space in the bottle with your choice of carrier oil (we recommend Rosehip or Tamanu oil) and mix. Apply at least two times per day for best results. This is a lovely massage oil that can be stored well for up to 4 months.

 

• Combine 16 drops of Frankincense and Helichrysum oil and 10 drops of Geranium oil. Fill the remaining space in the bottle with Tamanu oil or Rosehip oil. Mix well and apply at least three times per day. 

 

It is important to note that, with older scars, Rosehip oil is known to be a very effective carrier oil, due to its high levels of Linoleic acid, which is found is all of our cell membranes and is a major cell regenerator. Quite simply, this compound works wonders on scars because it helps the body grow new and healthy skin tissue. Rosehip oil also contains vitamin C, which is known to fight against skin impurities and dead cells, leaving skin looking and feeling radiant.

It is also important to recognize that, in order for these oils to be effective, they must be used on a daily basis for a number of months. Essential oil treatments take time to work, so it is vital to create a daily routine of application. When applied daily, you should begin to see some changes in your skin's appearance in about a month, although all bodies are different. 

If you have a scar that you are unsatisfied with and would like to get rid of or at least reduce the overall appearance of, try essential oils. They are an incredibly healing and effective natural way to improve your skin's health, as well as the health of your entire body.

Essential oils have been used for centuries for both physical and spiritual health and longevity. At UpNature, we know the value of pure and organic oils and formulas and are anxious to share them with you. Don't hesitate; begin your natural journey today!