scars

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is passionate about making women feel and look their best, and she always has a trick or two up her sleeve. This week, Michelle helps us with tips for reducing acne scars:

Hi everyone,
Acne scars are more than just difficult to cover up; they can be very personal for many people. If you struggle with the appearance of acne scars, you are not alone! Acne scars are just as common as they are tricky. Since I know this is something a lot that of you are dealing with and have questions on, I wanted to share my recommendations.

Will Pam help dry your nails faster?

Unfortunately, we've yet to discover a magical, one-size-fits-all treatment for acne scars, so keep in mind that the effectiveness of each of these will depend on the severity of your scars and your individual skin needs. See the best fixes below.

I have an inch-long scar on a visible part of my body, and just by sheer coincidence, right as I needed an effective scar cream, InviCible Scars ($82) came a-calling. Just as the product's name suggests, this cream is invisible on the skin, and with a silicone-like feel (it's dimethicone doing the job), it glides on really smoothly, leaving no scent behind.

Developed by breast reconstruction surgeon Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, the nongreasy gel-textured product can also be used on acne scarring and to treat hyperpigmentation. At $82 a pop, I'd hesitate to put this high-cost cream in my shopping cart, but thanks to the Trial & Members Program, you don't have to make a full commitment. A little goes a long way, and depending on the size of your scar, you'd be able to make InviCible Scars last several months. Find out what I thought about this new product when you keep reading.

Earlier, I asked if you could help a reader out. She hit up the Problem Solved group in our BellaSugar Community for tips on minimizing the appearance of a brand-new scar. Thanks to all of your amazing tips and advice, I was able to put together a widget of your favorite remedies. Check it out below to peruse all the suggestions, and if you're headed to the drugstore to make a purchase, be sure to follow the link after the widget to get the products in list format so that you can refer back to it while shopping.
To get the products in list format, keep reading.

This post comes to us from the Problem Solved group, where member Jaime not Jamie asked for some beauty advice.

Last week, I had surgery on my neck. I'm grateful that it was nothing serious, but I'm left with a scar that's a little over an inch long. Kudos to my surgeon for making such a small incision, but since the mark is on such a visible part of my body, I want to make sure that I do everything I can to help it heal nicely. Do any of you have experience with scar creams, vitamins, or any home remedies? I'd really appreciate the advice!

There's lots to explore in the BellaSugar Community. Join now, and perhaps we'll feature what you have to say right here on BellaSugar!

We live in a culture that doesn't value women's scars. There are a ton of creams, oils, and gels, in fact, that exist specifically to get rid of them. And while I understand the impulse to erase them and have certainly used scar-fading products myself, I also think that it's wrong to behave as though they're categorically a bad thing. Scars mark your continued survival and tout your ability to heal, to surmount obstacles. They're also universal—I don't know anyone who doesn't have at least one, whether it's from an accident, a wasp sting, chickenpox, or falling out of a tree. I have several myself, and I don't think they make me a less attractive person. In some cases, people look a whole lot sexier with their scars. Even celebrities like Padma Lakshmi, who are held to a much higher standard of "perfection" than the rest of us, have them and continue to look amazing. So don't be ashamed of your scars. Every one of them is, in its own way, a little personal victory, one you should feel free to celebrate.