Scar Tissue, What would you recommend?

Susan Clark © The Sunday Times October 16 2005

Q. I have just got rid of acne, but have been left with severe scarring all over my face. I’ve tried all sorts of creams, but the scars are not fading, even though each cream I buy claims to be better than all the rest. I went to a lot of trouble to get rid of my acne, and now I am wondering what the point was. What, in your opinion, is the best natural remedy to use? R Butler, by e-mail

Other items of interest

A. In all the years I have been writing on this topic, I have never found a scar-fading remedy to beat Rosa Mosqueta, an oil made from the seeds of the Rosa rubiginosa plant, which grows high up in the Andes.

It is effective in making scarring fade — whether it is caused by acne, surgery or accidents — because is a rich source of the essential fatty acids the body needs to make the prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds) that are crucial for skin regeneration.

The same fatty acids are frequently incorporated into everyday skin and anti-wrinkle creams made with other natural remedies, including evening primrose oil and vitamin E, but their concentration in Rosa Mosqueta is many times higher.

Rosa rubiginosa is also a source of retinol, a key ingredient in cosmetic products designed to fade blemishes and scars.