8 Treatments That Can Help You Get Rid of Chickenpox Scars

If you had chickenpox as a kid, the itchy rash may be your standout memory from being sick. A chickenpox rash is very itchy, and kids usually have a hard time resisting the urge to scratch it. But scratching chickenpox blisters can lead to chickenpox scars.

Chickenpox scars are very common. Many people are looking for ways to remove or minimize these scars. There isn’t a lot of research looking at the best treatments for chickenpox scars. But treatments that work for other types of scarring sometimes also work to reduce chickenpox scars.

Whether you’re looking for a way to get rid of many scars, or only a couple, here we look into the eight best treatments for chickenpox scars.

Do chickenpox scars go away on their own?

No, chickenpox scars won’t go away on their own. And scarring from chickenpox is very common.

One study estimated that about 1 in 5 people who had chickenpox developed scars. And nearly half of people who develop scars end up with facial scarring. 

Chickenpox scars are usually round and small. They look like circular sunken areas of skin. They may be described as divots, pits, or depressed scars. These types of scars are permanent.

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The most common type of chickenpox scar are depressed scars. That’s because the chickenpox rash triggers skin inflammation and collagen damage. When the skin heals, it forms a sunken area, sometimes called an atrophic scar.

Chickenpox scarring can also lead to skin discoloration. Skin may look lighter or darker in the areas of scarring. This type of scarring usually fades over time, but it can take months or longer.  Protecting your skin with daily sunscreen can help minimize the discoloration and help scars be less obvious. 

Some people are naturally more prone to scarring, so they’re more likely to develop chickenpox scars. You’re also more likely to develop chickenpox scars if you scratched your rash a lot. This is because scratching can injure the skin and worsen inflammation. More severe cases of chickenpox usually trigger more scarring because a more severe illness will cause more inflammation. 

What do chickenpox scars look like?

Here are some examples of chickenpox scars on different skin tones.

Brown spots caused by chickenpox (small circles) and a skin infection (large circles).

White spots caused by chickenpox.

Regardless of why you developed scarring, here are eight treatments that can help.

1. Rosehip seed oil

Rosehip seed oil comes from rosehips, which are the fruit produced by rose bushes. Rosehips are rich in vitamins, oils, and antioxidants, which may help reduce scarring.

One small study compared people who used rosehip oil twice a day on surgical scars with people who used regular skin care practices. The people who used rosehip oil had improvement of their scar appearance after 12 weeks of daily rosehip oil use.

This study didn’t look at whether rosehip oil specifically helped with chickenpox scars. But the surgical scars in the study were very similar in appearance to the type of scars caused by chickenpox. So it’s possible that rosehip oil may help with chickenpox scars, too. 

2. Tretinoin cream

Tretinoin creams, like Retin-A, belong to a class of medications called retinoids. They work by promoting the growth of new cells and reducing inflammation in the skin. They’re often used to treat acne, acne scarring, and help with signs of skin aging.  

Experts have yet to do any studies looking at tretinoin cream alone to treat chickenpox scars. But one small study did look at tretinoin cream in combination with laser treatments for pitted facial scars, including chickenpox scars. People used 0.05% tretinoin cream nightly for 2 to 4 weeks before and after laser treatments. After 3 months of treatment, people with chickenpox scars had visible improvement in their scar appearance. 

3. Isotretinoin

Isotretinoin is an oral medication used to treat nodular acne. It’s similar to tretinoin creams but much more potent. One small study looked at whether people treated with low-dose isotretinoin showed improvement in pigmented chickenpox scars. The people in this study took isotretinoin every other night for 1 to 4 months. At the end of 4 months, the three people in the study had more even skin color, and their scars were less visible. 

Isotretinoin can lead to many side effects and isn’t right for everyone. More research is needed before this treatment can be recommended for chickenpox scars.

4. Topiramate

Topiramate is an oral medication used to treat epilepsy and migraines. Experts have tried using this medication off label for other reasons.  

In one study, people with different types of scarring, including chickenpox scars, took a low dose of topiramate each day for 1 month. At the end of the month, people with chickenpox scars reported improvement in the appearance of their scars. 

Scientists don’t know why topiramate may help improve scars, but one theory is that people taking it are less likely to pick at their skin. But more research is needed before topiramate can be recommended for scar treatment.

5. Chemical peels

Chemical peels work by removing damaged skin layers and promoting new skin growth. There are many different types and strengths of chemical peels. The only chemical treatment that has been studied for chickenpox scars involves using trichloroacetic acid (TCA). However, many different chemical peels have been successfully used to treat acne scars, which can be similar to chickenpox scars. 

One study looked at high-dose TCA application every 3 weeks for six treatments via the CROSS (chemical reconstruction of skin scars) technique. This involves dropping a tiny amount of high-strength TCA into the base of each scar. This causes localized inflammation and leads to the formation of new collagen. After 3 months of treatments, most participants had significant improvements in scar appearance. Most people didn’t experience any side effects from the chemical peels and were happy with the results. 

6. Laser treatments

Laser therapy has been widely studied for scar treatments. There are many different types of lasers that have slightly different effects on the skin. But in general, lasers work by removing scar tissue and promoting the growth of new collagen. 

Some small studies have looked at whether laser treatments work to minimize chickenpox scars. In studies, both CO₂ and Yag laser therapies helped minimize pitted and sunken chickenpox scarring. But the CO₂ laser was slightly better for treating raised scars.

It’s best to work with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon’s office to determine if laser therapy is right for you. They can help you choose the right approach so you can get the results you want while also safely avoiding any unwanted side effects.

7. Microneedling

Microneedling is a procedure where tiny needles are briefly inserted into the top layer of skin. The goal is to trigger a healing response so that the skin makes new collagen. Microneedling can help fade scars and even skin tone. 

There isn’t a lot of research looking at microneedling specifically for chickenpox scars. But one report found that three monthly microneedling sessions were helpful in minimizing discoloration from chickenpox scars.

It’s best to work with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon’s office to determine if microneedling is right for you. You want to work with someone who can safely use microneedling to address your skin concerns.  

8. Surgery

Surgery is an option for people with large or extensive scarring that doesn’t respond to other treatments. There are several surgical procedures that may help with chickenpox scarring that include subcision suction, skin grafting, and scar excision.

Subcision suction 

With the subcision-suction procedure, the skin is numbed and then a tiny needle is inserted into the scar and moved around. The needle breaks fibrous strands that hold the scar to underlying tissue. New collagen tissue gets deposited as the tiny wounds heal. Then, suctioning lifts the tissue. 

One study looked at a modification of this technique that used more frequent suctioning. People with chickenpox scars showed improvement in the appearance of depressed scars. However, in some people, subcision alone may be as effective as subcision combined with suctioning.  

Skin grafting 

This technique, also called dermal grafting, takes deep skin tissue from another area of the body and grafts it into a depressed scar. A study using dermal grafting that included people with chickenpox scars showed improvements in scar appearance. 

Scar excision

Surgeons use this procedure when other scar removal techniques fail. A surgeon cuts out the old scar and stitches up the area. Scar excision creates a new scar that’s less noticeable than the chickenpox scar. This surgery is most often used for deep, pitted scars.  

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Written by:

Brian Clista, MD

Dr. Clista is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He previously served as a National Health Service Corporation Scholar in the inner city of Pittsburgh for 11 years.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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