Updated 12/1/17. With the hair trend of having soft, beachy waves, women are using curling irons to achieve this look. Sometimes the use of a curling iron leads to accidental burns and I’m often asked, “How do I heal a curling iron burn?” and “How do I fade and lighten a curling iron scar?” Healing a burn and fading a scar require two different treatments.
How to heal a curling iron burn
The less you do to a curling iron burn, the better, but keeping it moist and protected with an antibacterial ointment such as Neosporin followed by a band-aid or sterile, lint-free gauze can aid in the healing process. Many people will ask about applying tea tree oil, aloe vera gel or lavender oil to curling iron burns, but some of these may actually be an irritant to oozing and inflamed skin. My experience tells me the less you mess with it, the quicker it will heal. The human body is truly amazing and whenever there is an injury (and in this case, a burn) your body will go into overdrive to heal it.
Once the skin has closed and the crusty scab is completely gone (be sure not to pick!) and you’re left with a dark, discolored scar then you’ll treat the scar differently.
How to get rid of burn scars from a curling iron
Let’s talk about how to lighten and fade burn scars once they have fully healed and you’re left with a discolored mark.
A curling iron burn (depending on severity) usually lasts 7-14 days, but the red or dark burn scar can linger for weeks—or even months.
Red or dark burn scars are caused from trauma to the skin cells. These scars should be treated the same way a blemish scar is treated. Like blemish scars, burn scars will fade with time, but with proper treatment, you can expedite the healing process considerably by doing these three things.
- Use a gentle acid exfoliating product. Acid exfoliators contain ingredients like glycolic and lactic acid that work deep within the skin to dissolve and digest the damaged cells caused by the curling iron burn and stimulate new and healthy cell growth. Simply put, they get out the old and encourage the new to create more even-toned skin. As mentioned, discoloration from a burn can be treated just like discoloration leftover from a blemish. Post-Breakout Fading Gel is a gentle exfoliant for removing pigmented cells.
- Use a natural skin lightener. Above and beyond exfoliating the skin regularly, you’ll want to use skin brightening ingredients to help fade the appearance of a burn scar. Ingredients like vitamin C (the best kind of vitamin C for fading pigment is magnesium ascorbyl phosphate which can be found in Vitamin C&E Treatment), arbutin, licorice extract and white tea extract. These are also helpful for brown spots from sun damage.
- Use sunscreen faithfully. When your skin is exposed to UV daylight (in spring, summer, fall and winter), this keeps pigment cells awake and active and prevents a scar from fading as easily. Wearing sunscreen protects damaged cells so they can properly heal and recover so your skin can get even-toned much faster.
Most importantly, be patient. Burns can take a few months to fade (even more for deeper skin tones) but follow my expert advice and the fading process will go much more quickly.
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Comments:
I BURNED MYSELF ON MY CURLING IRON AND I WAS SLAPPING MY FORHEAD AND IT PEALED! WILL IT SCAR FOR LIFE????
Posted By: Lauren |
It’s hard for me to know without seeing what it looks like. I would assume not though if you’re caring for it the right way.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Hi, I burnt my lip letting a friend wax me. (I think she may have pulled it when it wasn’t tight and took a bit of my skin off with it.) I have put neosporin and aloe and everything! It’s been two weeks, and it looks like it’s going to scar.. It’s a bit darker than my skintone, but it’s really tiny, smaller than a pinky nail. Except it’s on my upper lip so it’s noticeable. Will the post-breakout fading gel help with this? I’m freaking out because my skin is otherwise nice. 🙁 Please help.
Posted By: clark |
It doesn’t sound like you’ll scar, you just have to care for it really well. Skin being pulled off from waxing is fairly common and it should heal up just fine. But yes, the post-breakout gel will definitely help make the discoloration fade when the scab is healed.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
hi. back in October, i burned the right side of my leg on a light bulb. didn’t do squat to it, sadly & now there is a nickle size dark, dark, brown scar. 1 month later, i burned the back of my calf, same leg, by falling into a fire pit. (i was playing tug of war with my 70 lb dog, with the fire pit behind me. he decided to let go abruptly, & when he did that, down i went) anyways, i did care for that one, but still, a dark, dark patch about the length of a dollar bill. I have tried rodan fields lightening stuff, over the counter skin lightener. I did lazer 2x on the nickle size one. nothing seems to be working. will that post break out gel help these dark brown scars? & whats that vit. E &C treatment you mentioned above? where can i get that? Thanks!
Posted By: Tina |
When it comes to pigmentation, you just need to try all sorts of options to see what works best. Both the Post-Breakout Fading Gel and the Vitamin C&E Treatment can be very effective for this so it’s worth trying. (You can purchase at ReneeRouleau.com). Sometimes a prescription skin bleach is needed to accelerate the results. And of course, keeping it out of the sun (or certainly protected with sunscreen when you are in daylight) is crucial for any product to work its best.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
I burned a spot on my face this morning with a curling wand, and I had the urge to pick at it and I did. I know I have to put polysporin on it, but what is the best way to hide it?
Posted By: Jennifer |
Concealer would be your best bet for trying to hide some of the discoloration.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Hi I’ve just burnt my cheek with a curling iron, I didn’t react as soon as I should have maybe 10 minutes wen by then I made the mistake of using ice( I didn’t know not to use it) it’s bright red and stinging like crazy. Help! What do I do?
Posted By: Genesis |
Put on some neosporin ointment, keep it moist and don’t mess with it. Let it heal as it wants to.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
So I burned a spot in my forehead while I was curling my hair, about an inch or so and it turned into a purplish red color, but much of it peeled off and now the skin there is red and a spot is a lighter color than my skin. I don’t know if that’s normal
Posted By: Penelope |
If you see a lighter color than your skin, that is normal. You simply burned down a few layers. That will eventually return to your normal color.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Hi Renee,
I was applying an Acne Treatment Pad containing 2% Salicylic Acid all over my face this Saturday, 1/9 (I do this in my daily routine, without problems) and I left it on top of a persistent blemish for too long. It appears I burned the skin over and around it. At first it was very red and warm to the touch, not overly painful but I could feel the heat coming from the area. The center (where the blemish was) appeared to be more of a bright reddish, orange color in comparison to the surrounding redness. The next day the mark darkened to a dark red brownish color with a hint of purple to it and the center (where the blemish used to be) appeared white in color.
I put ice directly onto it which I later read was not the smartest thing to do as I could feel the burning sensation when the ice was on the mark. I immediately put Neutrogena over it along with a scar diminishing cream called Scar Zone (it contains 4% dimethicone, 7.50% octinoxate and 4% zinc oxide). I add the Scar Zone cream right over the Neosporin. The mark is now dark and it’s basically one thick layer of even, scabby skin. How should I treat it at this point, to prevent scarring and is it okay to put makeup over it? I have a business trip to LA on the 20th of this month and don’t want them to meet my horrid scab before they meet me.
Thanks in advance, you are so helpful to so many who are lost and distraught! XO.
Posted By: Jade |
You just have to let it heal and time is mainly what is going to get rid of it. But yes, you can put make up on it and be sure not to pick the scab. Also, when you get out of the shower or wash your face, the scab can soften, but don’t pull it off. It will cause more of a mark. Just let it come off when it’s ready.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Hi, I recently burned my forehead with my curling wand and I was putting a cold rag on the burn and some part of the burn part came off. Should I be worried?
Posted By: Jenelle |
No, it will heal. If it’s oozing, put some Neosporin on it until it closes up and then leave it alone until the scab naturally comes off.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
I recently burned my chin with a curling iron on November 20 of this year. The scab has gone but I am now left with a small circle a noticeably darker color than my skin tone (about 3 or 5 shades darker). More recently, on December 17, I burned the side of my jaw with the iron. The scab has now come off but the skin is awfully red and wrinkly. I am terrified that they will scar although the one on my chin seems to be going away. Any advice on how to lighten the chin one and prevent the jaw one from scarring?
Posted By: Rachel |
Time heals all but to lighten the chin one I suggest you exfoliate with the Post Breakout Fading Gel and then use the Vitamin C&E Treatment daily.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Okay here’s what happened. I accedentally burned my friend”s little sister’s cheek with a curling iron. And I immedieatey put an ice pack on it for roughly 5-10 minutes. It started to look all pink/red and blistery. The next day I went to her house and her sister seemed fine, but the burn had darkened a little and it was still pink. Her completion is is really light. I’m so scared. I feel guilty about what happened. What should i do to prevent scarring.
Posted By: Worried |
Keep it moist, out of the sun and don’t pick at it once it heals. When it’s just left with a dark mark, use the Post Breakout Fading Gel as mentioned in this post to fade the discoloration faster.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |