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At one time or another, many of us have accidents or surgery that can result in unsightly scars. The same can happen from difficult cases of acne. Even stretch marks from pregnancy or significant weight loss can leave permanent unsmooth textures on the skin. There are few treatments available beyond silicone patches, and these won’t work in all cases. If one is looking for a natural means to improve skin appearance as a wound heals, or to smooth old scars or stretch marks, scientific aromatherapy literature provides some formulas that may help.

Essential Oils for Healing the Skin

There are a few primary oils used in skin repair, additional oils may be added to your liking (to improve aroma, or add further skin-supportive properties), but here, we’ll concentrate just on the commonly used oils for skin damage. First, and possibly most important, is Helichrysum Italicum, also known as Everlasting. This oil with a lovely earthy aroma is distilled from the brightly-colored, daisy-like flowers of a strongly aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Helichrysum is one of the most highly regarded oils in aromatherapy for it’s broad range of healing properties for body tissues. It is strongly anti-inflammatory, and has a high concentration of regenerative diketones found only in this oil. It is a bit more expensive due to it’s low yield in processing, but produces it’s wonderful effects in very small doses.

The Power of Helichrysum

Helichrysum can be used in a simple carrier oil by itself, though it is considered synergistic with Rosehip seed oil and sometimes with Lavender essential oil. This easy-to-make combination has been noted by professional aromatherapists to “heal wounds with minimal or no scarring” though the nutritive triple unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin A compounds of Rosehip seed, combined with the anti-inflammate and regenerative properties of the Helichrysum. Helichrysum can be a little bit pricey, but it’s wonderful effects have been noted at very low concentrations of the total blend - a little will go a long way. Helichrysum contains natural anti-inflammatory, stress-relieving and regenerative natural constituents that make it an amazing healer all its own.

Lavender to Balance and Sooth

As noted above, Lavender oil is often used for skin healing. In a 50/50 blend with Tea Tree oil, it is commonly used on small cuts and scrapes to sooth and prevent infection. Lavender has anti-inflammatory properties along with tissue regenerating effects, albeit a bit more mild than Helichrysum. It does, however, have the important added benefit of a well-liked aroma that can ease anxiety for many people.

Sage: Regeneration for Old Wounds and Scars

The essential oil distilled from the leaves of common Sage is included in blends where the wounds are old - where the healing happened some time ago and has left some unsightly scarring. This can work on keloid scars, acne scars, etc., though application need be regular and should continue for 3 to 6 months. The sage oil is included in essence to break up the scar tissue and to stimulate regeneration with it’s powerful components. Sage oil should be used with great care and in small amounts. While it is called for in formulas for stretch marks, it should only be use after pregnancy, and not during by expectant mothers. Sage is best used for wounds and scars that have already healed to reduce appearance.

Stimulating Skin Cell Health with Rosemary

Rosemary of the Verbenone chemotype (rather than Cineol, which does not have the same properties) contains regenerative ketones like Lavender and Helichrysum, plus has the added benefit of stimulating the skin’s metabolic process. This oil can bring greater circulation to skin tissues, delivering nutrients and eliminating cellular waste and toxins — functions which are crucial during the healing process. Rosemary Verbenone can be used for healing new or old wounds.

Nutritive Essential Oils Speed Healing

Other essential oils can offer important nutrient that may speed the healing process. Most importantly, they offer carotenoids and carotenes — natural vitamin-A-like compounds needed for increasing the strength of the healing tissue. Vitamin A is considered absolutely critical to normal skin development, and indispensable during wound healing. Two essential oils can be chosen from: Sea Buckthorn and Carrot Root. These are both found as ‘CO2′ extracts with deep colors, indicating the high levels of nutrients.

Antiseptics For Clean Healing

For wounds that are currently healing, a small amount of an antiseptic essential oil can help the process. It can prevent redness and irritation that is the result of your body dealing with bacteria at the sight of the injury. Lavender and Rosemary do have some antiseptic properties, and may be enough if you feel the wound has been well-cleaned. For stronger antiseptic activity, 1-5% Tea Tree essential oil can be added to any recipe. The use of the Tea Tree can be discontinued once the wound has sealed completely. If you’re really not fond of the aroma of Tea Tree, Palmarosa essential oil can be used as a more mildly-aromatic substitute.

Proper Dilution with Carrier Oils

Finally, these essential oils need to be diluted carrier oils, which are seed or nut oils made up of fatty acids. These oils help the skin absorb the essential oils, and provide important nutritive oils to help the skin heal and look its best. The most important is Rosehip Seed oil, cold-pressed from Rosehip Seeds native to mountainous regions of South America. In addition to its unsaturated fatty acids, this oil contains natural vitamin A compounds similar in effect to the pharmaceutical preparation Retin-A but without the over drying or redness that often accompanies its use. Note that Rosehip seed should NOT be used for acne scars where acne outbreaks are still likely to occur. Tamanu Nut oil — or Callophylum — is a little known oil that actually lies somewhere between a ‘fixed oil’ and ‘essential oil’ in its chemistry. Tamanu is an excellent choice for healing all types of wounds. Finally, oils containing high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids can help healing by providing important nutrients while reducing inflammation.

Putting It Together: The Recipes

And now for a few recipes - a few simple mixtures can cover several skin-healing conditions, both for recent wounds and older scarred tissue. For the support of recent wounds, use one ounce Tamanu and one ounce Rosehip seed oils. To this, add 25 drops each of Helichrysum and Lavender essential oils, plus up to 75 drops of your choice of either Sea Buckthorn or Carrot Root - apply twice a day once the wound can get moist (wait until there is no chance of bleeding). For the improvement of appearance of old scars, keloid scars and acne scars, try the same base oils, replacing the Lavender with Sage essential oil. Use Hazelnut instead of Rosehip seed if you are still prone to an acne outbreak. Apply regularly for 3 to 6 months for best results. For the post-partum reduction of stretch marks, again to the same base oil formula, add 25 drops Sage essential oil and 25 drops Rosemary verbenone. Use this formula again for several months for best results.

So these are just a few skin care formulas commonly used in aromatherapy. Many more exist for a great variety of skin conditions - there is much information available on the internet or in bookstores. Remember, when creating your own blends, be conservative with the amounts of essential oils - they do work in small amounts. Also, it’s always fun to add to these recipes one or more of your favorite aromatic oils - Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Rose or other oils can add a lovely complex aroma to the blend; one that you’ll enjoy wearing. Be creative, be safe and have fun!

The author has made available much information about aromatherapy, such as using balsam fir needle and other quality essential oils.