Will mederma help acne scars?

Acne is a common skin condition that plagues many individuals for their entire life. The worst part? The unsightly scars that acne leaves behind! Fear not, dear reader, as we delve into the world of scar treatment and answer once and for all: will Mederma help with those pesky acne scars?

What is Mederma?

First things first – what even is Mederma? If you’re expecting some fancy science nerd talk here, then think again. Mederma comes in a tube with a white cap, and … you know what? You’ve probably seen it before.

This over-the-counter topical ointment has been around since 1998 (!!!) and claims to aid in reducing the appearance of various types of scars. So if you’re looking for an excuse to purchase another beauty product without the shame one feels while leaving Sephora with bags full—you’re welcome.

How Does it Work on Acne Scars?

According to the folks at Merz Pharmaceuticals (Mederama’s parent company), “regular application” can result in fading new scars “in as little as eight weeks.” Keyword = new.

So … where does that leave us old-timer acne scar bearers who have been dealing with this crummy affliction our whole lives?! Do we just cross our fingers and pray when applying?!

Wait!! We Missed One Thing…

Before we freak out too much about how this topsy-turvy skincare industry isn’t helping us hoards of unfortunate souls take care of our long-lasting battle wounds (let’s be honest—we feel like Pet Sematary after too many burgers), let’s weigh other options out there than using straight up water and prayer circle lighting strategy.

Serums! There are countless serums available today— each promising something slightly different depending upon your specific needs. Serums aren’t just a trendy skincare fad, they can also make an actual difference in skin health—and depending on what serum you go for—can even be more highly efficient than other topical treatments.

Some recommend Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum (expensive but exciting) while others swear by one of the Niacinamide serums offered up upstairs at “The Ordinary.” Regardless—we know options exist.

But…Will Mederma Help With My Acne Scars?

All that being said—if we’re specifically talking about whether or not Mederma is a solution for us acne scar sufferers—the answer is: it depends. There’s always fine print when it comes to claimed beauty solutions; What works great for Jennifer Aniston may not do diddley squat for those with different genes/ lifestyles/ fungal infections.

So how does this apply to our specific issue? The efficacy of Mederma (or any product claiming to alleviate acne scars) depends upon your individual case.

Firstly, let’s get familiar with the factors that come into play here…

1. TYPE OF SCAR – Is your acne scar flat and reddish/pinkish in color? Or are there raised bumps which resemble keloids?
2. AGE/BEGINNING STAGES vs ADVANCED- THE LATER dates back years—they’re old enough to have mortgage.
3. SIZE OF THE OVERALL AFFECTED AREA
4. SKIN PIGMENTATION – ASIAN skin types need more love!

Bear these four factors in mind as you read on …

Flat Acne Scars

Similar to my personality during online quizzes—flat, discolored acne scars don’t raise everyone’s interest level —but nonetheless worth a shoutout in terms of addressing their appearance improvements or lack thereof…
In general, laser treatments work best for flat acne scars or discoloration. Mederma may, unfortunately, not be too helpful in this case.

However! While Mederma is primarily marketed as a scar treatment product your grandma buys it for after her post-surgery care—it’s worth noting that Amazon can deliver some pretty positive consumer opinions regarding its usage on people flat and discolored scars (or stretch marks? But shh).

Some mentioned that they observed lightening of skin twice daily use—but these results were often accompanied by other product usage such as exfoliation scrubbing every few days/a night cream regimen.

Moral: Think about what might be responsible for quickclear(ish) of said former “battle wounds.” It isn’t necessarily the sole responsibility of Mederma to get you to a better place with your overall look.

Keloid Scars

If you’re like me, and suffer from deep scarring or keloids—then welcome to the club my brethren! I’m sorry; we hate it here…

Unfortunately, products like silicone sheets (which have been scientifically proven by medical journals—and yearbooks—that prevent further growth AND decrease their size!) are probably what is blocking our path from bouncing back into clear skin territory.
So there’s no shame in taking a page (or twelve) out of puberty era moms’ suggestion book when their kid was trying to grapple dealing with breakout aftermath … regardless if you told yourself “I will never wear smelly hydrocolloid stickers.” Look—life comes at us fast okay?

And even then, if all else fails and none really pan out individually —you don’t always need expert advice since deep-pocketed celebs testing techniques opens expensive doors i.e.Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing/ Hollywood-approved Fraxel Restore/PRP – hold up… did someone say PUPPY RESCUE PARADISE?!

Time For Some Table Talk

We’ve gone through a lot of points, so to help make things clearer and easier to digest—let’s break down each aspect into a neat little table.

TYPE OF SCAR	BEST TREATMENT
Flat acne scars or discoloration	Laser Treatments
Keloid Scars	Silicone Sheets/Hydrocolloid Patch/PRP/ Fraxel Restore/Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing

At first glance you might ask—”Why doesn’t Mederma work?” But it becomes even more direct when looking at the tabular data above. Though we unpacked some ways in which its usage could serve us positive results—it just ISN’T always the right fit!

In all honesty: Beauty is pain… but not always in dollar signs!!

Conclusion

So there you have it folks—for those who have been dying for an answer one way or another—is Mederma effective on acne scars? The grand conclusion is that … well … it depends. Huzzah for vagueness!

While Mederma may work wonders on new scarring, keloids and deep scarring after decades of (deeper) rooted ongoing battles may call for different approaches such as silicone sheets topical treatment / Fractional Co2 laser resurfacing / PRP type measures .

It’s not always worth suffering money-wise for a product if it isn’t truly doing much better than any other $5-20 serums/oils/probiotics out there (trust!). Don’t give up before finding your individual solution—but never feel bad about trying various techniques until sweet relief floats by like our friend Dori swimming freely “just keep swimming.”