A Dermatologist Says This TikTok-Famous Acne Treatment Is The Real Deal

Dr. Zenovia Scar Gel can help reduce the appearance of acne scars while visibly softening skin.
This targeted medical-grade acne treatment is available at Sephora.
This targeted medical-grade acne treatment is available at Sephora.

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Frequent acne sufferers know that sometimes even after a particularly angry pimple has gone away, it can leave behind a stubborn reminder of its presence in the form of a scar. These blemishes can add unwanted texture to skin and be notoriously difficult to lighten or smooth out. Dr. Zenovia Scar Gel, a recently released treatment that has been making its rounds on the #FYP pages of TikTok, aims to do just that.

Users described this scar-focused product as a non-irritating, lightweight gel that quickly absorbs into skin, is invisible under makeup and targets existing scars while also preventing new ones from forming. With regular use, reviewers claimed that the gel made their marks noticeably lighter and their skin feel softer, more hydrated and healthier than before.

HuffPost was curious about what exactly makes this silicone-based product particularly effective. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Elaine F. Kung, the founder of Future Bright Dermatology, pointed to the list of ingredients.

“For years, I have been telling my patients that ingredients that help with acne often help with acne scars as well,” Kung said. “I find that many ingredients [in the Dr. Zenovia Scar Gel] are beneficial for acne, discoloration, and repair of the skin barrier. ”

Kung pointed to bromelain and papain, which she said are fruit-derived enzymes that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Both are beneficial for reducing skin discoloration and for promoting wound healing.

″[Also,] green tea polyphenols are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and antioxidants that have been shown to reduce sebum production in some clinical studies,” she said.

It’s not just anti-acne ingredients that make this treatment such a crowd pleaser, either. Kung said that a blend of potent antioxidants and topicals in the gel’s formulation are useful for re-texturing the skin. Ingredients like topical soy isoflavones have been shown improve the thickness of the epidermis, while bakuchiol, a more tolerable alternative to retinol, can help improve acne, skin tone and texture and promote wound healing because it stimulates collagen production.

Left: Before use; Right: After two weeks of using the scar gel, according to the brand.
Left: Before use; Right: After two weeks of using the scar gel, according to the brand.

“Besides acne scars, Dr. Zenovia’s Scar Treatment Gel may also help with stretch marks, surgical scars, scars after scrapes, falls, and burns,” Kung said “It may [also] be helpful as a skin brightening and anti-aging skin care product.”

When using this product, one thing that both Kung and reviewers stressed was that consistency and patience are required in order to get the best results possible. In fact, the directions say to apply the gel three times a day for eight weeks on new scars, and twice daily for three to six months on old scars.

Dr. Zenovia’s product lineup isn’t just limited to the scar gel. This clinical skin care brand largely focuses on acne-prone skin and addressing the full spectrum of symptoms that come with it. A soothing aloe vera-based moisturizer, a 5% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment and a brightening vitamin C toner have also become popular among TikTok users.

If you’re still on the fence about this scar treatment, you can keep reading to see its praises sung by reviewers who have tried it out for themselves, or you can scroll back up to grab yourself a tube from Sephora.

Promising reviews from Sephora:

“I tried Dr. Zenovia scar treatment and I was pleased with the results. I had skin cancer surgery on my abdomen and it worked great. The scar is much less visible and so is the redness. I would highly recommend it.” – Glambertgirl

“This has been great at helping reduce bad scarring from my adult acne. I like that you only need to apply a small amount. The ingredients are not harsh and gentle for sensitive skin. I really like that it is cruelty free. This is great for anyone who struggles with any form of acne.” – acaine73

“I have been using this on my fresh scar for coming up on 6 weeks now. I can tell a big difference in color, texture and size. While I found it hard to remember to apply it the recommended 3 times a day, I did manage to apply it at least once a day. I plan to continue to use this and start using it on some older scars now that I know it works well.” – bwburleson

“I used this on a freshly new scar I got from a big pimple. From the first time I used it, I noticed reduction starting from the outer edge of my scar. As I have continued to use it, I have noticed that the scar diminishes more in size and is less pigmented. I have also been using this on older pimple scars but have not found as immediate results. I’ll keep using it on them since the results are slower based on how old the scar is.” – Rosybelle11

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