Acne breakouts destroy confidence in people more often than not. If you’ve ever suffered from acne, you’ll deeply understand the depth of the struggle. You’ll also recognize the same relief when the acne monster goes away. However, after the acne heals, it could leave scars that are as profoundly and painfully challenging to battle with. While these can be very distressing, it’s definitely not impossible to get rid of them. With apple cider vinegar, acne scars won’t last long.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Acne Scars
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) comes from fermented apple juice. It undergoes two fermentation steps. In the first step, bacteria and yeast are added to the mix, which converts the sugars into alcohol. With the help of acetic acid, the second fermentation step involves converting the alcohol into vinegar.
ACV is commonly associated with acne breakouts, but not many people know that ACV, specifically the unfiltered one, can be used as a facial toner and can actually treat leftover acne marks.
Unfiltered ACV contains what is known as the mother of the vinegar, or strands of enzymes and bacteria that are considered to be the source of ACV’S many benefits. Below are some of ACV’S properties that may be responsible for its ability to erase acne scars fast:
ACV acts as a chemical exfoliant
ACV is quite an excellent chemical exfoliant. It naturally contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as lactic, citric, and malic acid. It also includes some of the same compounds present in popular toners that helps slough off dead skin.
When applied topically, the AHAs in ACV work to exfoliate the skin’s uppermost layer and make the skin appear more hydrated. Needless to say, chemical exfoliants can help even out and smooth skin tone when used regularly. Over time, this minimizes the appearance of acne scars.
ACV has antifungal and antibacterial properties
Exfoliation aside, ACV has antifungal and antibacterial properties that may help kill acne-causing bacteria. Specifically, the lactic and citric acid in ACV can both destroy a type of skin bacteria that contributes to acne development called Cutibacterium acnes, or formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes.
In sum, ACV can fade acne scars by exfoliating the skin’s surface and killing acne-causing bacteria.
How to use Apple Cider Vinegar for fast acne scar treatment?
Dilute ACV with water
Before using ACV as a toner, you must dilute it first. Otherwise, its acidity may cause skin irritation and superficial chemical burns.
The recommended ratio is 1-part ACV to 5-parts water for sensitive skin, 1-part ACV to 4-parts water for moderate acne, and 1-part ACV to 3-parts water for severe acne.
Apply it to your skin as tolerated
After mixing your apple cider vinegar with water, you can use the mixture as a toner. But before applying it on your acne scars, test whether or not you have any adverse reactions to it by performing a small test patch on your skin.
Only apply ACV toner to your acne scars and be super cautious with sensitive acne areas like a pimple that has been popped recently or an open wound. ACV is highly acidic; so, make sure that it doesn’t interact with sensitive areas and cause burning and skin damage.
The proper application follows a straightforward process. Using a reusable cloth pad or cotton ball, apply the ACV toner to target areas and leave it on the skin for 30 seconds. After that, rinse off the ACV toner entirely and apply a moisturizer. Do the application three-four times a week, as tolerated.
Use it as a spot treatment
If you only need to treat a few areas in your face or back, there’s no need to treat the whole face or the entire back with the ACV toner. Instead, just narrow your application areas.
Five Best Apple Cider Vinegars for Getting Rid of Acne Scars
You may be wondering why to use home-made toner when you can just purchase apple cider vinegar facial toners. A home-made ACV toner is preferable than store-bought options because it doesn’t contain stabilizers and preservatives, which may damage the skin.
For your convenience, we’ve outlined the five best apple cider vinegars that you can use for your home-made toner. What makes these products a standout from hundreds of products in the market is that they went through zero to minimal processing, thereby retaining the mother of the vinegar.
Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Bragg is one of the leading brands of ACV. Their product is Kosher-certified organic and is processed from organically manufactured apples. It is unheated, unfiltered, and unpasteurized, thus keeping the natural properties. It is also 5 percent acidic and contains the vinegar’s mother, which refers to the connected strand-like chains of protein enzymes.
This organic apple cider vinegar claims to help maintain healthy skin and soothe irritated skin. But, it’s potential benefits are not only limited to the prevention of acne development and scarring. It works even with those with existing acne and treats skin discoloration and scarring. When this organic acid is applied, the skin undergoes chemical peeling. This, in turn, reduces the appearance of acne scars.
Viva Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
No one can bring up apple cider vinegar without mentioning Viva Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. It is another excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatment for acne. As such, not only for acne, the apple cider vinegar is, in fact, one of the best remedies for acne scars too. Thanks to its inflammatory effects, it gradually diminishes acne scars and makes them appear less visible.
The finished product is completely raw and is preserved for a long duration. Because it did not undergo filtration and pasteurization, the solution maintains the fermenting colony of bacteria called the mother. This enhances the vinegar’s shelf life and health factor. Moreover, the solution comes in an eco-friendly glass bottle so that it still contains the fresh and tangy taste.
Vermont Village Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Once you try this apple cider vinegar, you’ll never try to come up with excuses for hating the smell of vinegar on your face. The Vermont Village Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is the best flavor on this list. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and tangy. This makes applying it on your acne areas something you’ll look forward to. Because the product only contains organic honey, organic blueberries, and of course, the raw organic apple cider vinegar with the mother, you can indulge in all of its benefits without worrying about any artificial ingredients.
If you don’t like blueberry, Vermont Village also offers ginger, turmeric, and cranberry sipping equally flavorful vinegars.
Dynamic Health Apple Cider Vinegar Organic with Mother
This ACV effectively treats different problems, including acne and acne scars. The product comes in 32 fl. oz. glass bottles and this ensures that it’s safe for the environment. It also ensures that the ACV is always convenient to keep in the house. While it tastes less sharp than most ACVs in this list, this doesn’t affect its quality.
The best-highlighted feature of the Dynamic Health Apple Cider Vinegar is that it is unfiltered and unpasteurized. This guarantees that the mother is contained as well as other beneficial enzymes. To avoid breakage or damage, the Dynamic Health Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother comes well-packaged and well-shipped. It can be used merely as a treatment for acne scars or taken for health support to everyday life.
Spectrum Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
The raw materials in making the Spectrum Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar are apples. Because it’s made entirely from apples and doesn’t contain any additional flavors, artificial elements, and preservatives, you can reap all the benefits of an excellent quality product. Also, the apples are grown without pesticides and chemicals; therefore, the apple cider vinegar ensures maximum safety.
Sure, it’s easy to fall prey to crystal clear vinegars, but these are filtered and purchasing them would be a great mistake to make. Contrarily, the Spectrum Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is unfiltered and unpasteurized- this means that it contains all the essential nutrients. Unlike the filtered, sparkling vinegars that will not do any health wonders at all, the Spectrum Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar can treat a myriad of problems including acne scars.
The bottom line:
Having acne scars are as distressing as having acne. It makes you feel less confident and unattractive around others that you always hide in layers of foundation and concealer. But, you can regain your self-esteem by getting rid of your acne scars fast with apple cider vinegar. Just dilute the best quality apple cider vinegar with water, apply it to your acne scars as tolerated, and use it as a spot treatment.