It may seem as if the best acne scarring treatments are those that require you to get an expensive procedure performed in a clinic or doctor’s office somewhere, but that is not necessarily true. The real truth is that many of the same procedures used for treatment of acne scars that cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars elsewhere can be performed at home for a fraction of the cost. If you suffer from acne scarring and need relief, but don’t have an unlimited bank account, you should check out some of these popular acne scars home options.

One of the best ways to relieve some of your problems related to treating acne scars at home and on a budget is to do a microdermabrasion at home using some sort of kit. These procedures work by using a compressor and pump to use a combination of suction and safe levels of abrasion to reduce the outer layer of skin and reveal more of the healthier layer below it, which is how you can reduce the appearance of acne scarring using such a method. The type of scars that will be best suited for this treatment will be those that are raised above the skin or at the same level as the skin. Deeper scars won’t see much improvement from this procedure.

This procedure is popular for many reasons.  First of all, it is not an invasive procedure, unlike some procedures, such as laser treatments.  It is much more affordable than other types of treatment, and has a very low level of discomfort involved.  You may feel a slight tingling, but you certainly won’t experience any real pain during the procedure.  Afterwards, the only side effects may be a “windburned” feel on your skin and a slight redness lasting about 24 hours.  Results will show almost immediately, though more than one treatment will be needed for many people.

Because microdermabrasions are very simple, they are something that you can perform at home, and with great results if you choose the right products.  Microdermabrasion cost can be as low as $15, but for that low price, you will have a tradeoff of generally lower effectiveness.  Some of the better kits are about $200, which may seem like a lot, but pays off in the long run compared to paying that much per treatment at a spa or doctor’s office!  It is a much better deal financially to spend that amount to buy the kit, and be able to conduct as many treatments as you need in the future at no additional cost.

Chemical peels are another very popular type of treatments for acne scars which can be performed at home with a lot of success. Chemical peels are generally self-explanatory and work just as you would probably expect. You simply use chemicals of varying strength to speed up the skin’s natural exfoliation process. Some chemicals, such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or TCA (trichloracetic acid) are milder chemicals, while chemicals used for “deeper” chemical peels include baker’s phenol.

You are probably thinking, “okay…but what do these chemical peels do?” The results that can be expected from a chemical peel would include improvement of discolorations that are darker than your natural skin tone, the reduction of excessive oil in your skin, the removal of stubborn blackheads that previously would not go away, a reduction in many types of scars, including some acne scars, and a correcting effect on sun damage. Like microdermabrasion treatments, chemical peels work best with scars that are not deep within the skin.

Of course, there are some things that chemical peels cannot accomplish. They will not remove blood vessels, reduce the size of pores, or remove some types of scars (keloid scars, to be specific). Also, only those with fair skin are recommended to use chemical peels, as they don’t work correctly for those with darker skin tones. Instead, a microdermabrasion treatment is often preferred.

Just like with microdermabrasion procedures, you will save a lot of money by doing chemical peels in your home, instead of having them done by a professional. Chemical peels performed by a dermatologist usually range anywhere between from $175-1,500 each, depending on the strength of the peel itself. Of course, the cost balances out somewhat between light peels and deep peels in the end, because light peels must be performed 5 to 6 times, while deeper peels only need to be performed once or twice. So, no matter what, you are looking at probably $1,000 or more to get your chemical peel process taken care of professionally.

Meanwhile, over the counter chemical peels can start at around $30 or so, which provides you with substantial savings. Results will be seen right away, though several treatments are needed if light chemical peels are used. For very deep peels, two treatments are usually used for best results.

Again, for those on a budget and who require some assistance with an acne scarring treatment and other skin issues, at home procedures can really be a great ally in the quest for better skin. Acne scarring treatments do vary in effectiveness and in who will get the best results from them, but they are often a great way to get the results that you would otherwise pay a lot of money to receive. That is why a growing number of people are trying out acne home scar treatments that were traditionally performed in a spa or doctor’s office.