Shea Butter For Scars

Last updated: October 2026

Shea butter for scars: what it does and how people use it

A rich, traditional moisturiser. Baraka's shea butter is a traditional West African moisturiser that many people smooth onto healed scars to keep the skin soft, supple and comfortable, handmade by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana. It is unrefined, strained and filtered only, solid in the jar and melting on contact with skin.

People reach for it on scars for a simple reason. As skin repairs a wound it lays down a scar, which is a natural part of healing, and that new skin can feel tight, dry or itchy. Shea butter is traditionally used on dry skin, and in West Africa it has a long reputation for softening scars. Many people report that a scar looks smoother and feels less tight when it is kept moisturised.

Acne itself, and whether shea butter suits acne-prone skin, is covered in Does Shea Butter Clog Pores. The wider uses of raw shea butter, from skin and hair to babies and DIY, are set out in Raw Shea Butter Benefits: Complete Guide to Skin, Hair, Baby, Pregnancy, and DIY.

Everyday uses beyond scars

Shea butter is traditionally used on dry skin, lips, hands, feet and hair. Some people use it on skin marked by acne as part of their routine. Other benefits of shea butter include:

• Improves the condition of skin and hair
• Moisturises dry skin
• Traditionally used on hands and feet
• Traditionally used on lips
• Traditionally used on hair

Does shea butter help with scars?

Yes, as a moisturiser and massage butter. Baraka's unrefined shea butter helps a healed scar by keeping it and the skin around it soft and moisturised, and it gives a smooth glide for gentle scar massage. Many people report that a scar feels less tight and looks smoother with regular use. For changing a scar's size or colour, dermatologists point to silicone gel sheets and sun protection.

What the moisture does

New scar tissue can feel tight, dry or itchy, and keeping it moisturised is the simplest way to make it more comfortable. Shea butter is solid at room temperature and melts on contact with skin, leaving a soft layer that holds moisture in. A 2017 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences describes how emollients improve the skin's barrier by restoring hydration to its outer layer and reducing water loss, and dermatologist Leslie Baumann notes that several of shea butter's fatty acids have been shown to support that barrier.

Scar massage with shea butter

Massage is the other reason people keep a jar beside the bathroom sink. Once a wound has fully closed and any stitches are out, a little shea butter lets your fingertips move firmly over the scar without dragging the skin. Press with small, firm circles along the scar and across it for two to three minutes, morning and night, and the butter is absorbed as you go.

Silicone gel sheets work differently: they sit on the scar for hours at a time, and NHS patient leaflets ask for no other creams, oils or gels under the sheet. If you use one, keep the shea butter for massage and for the times the sheet is off.

Shea butter on scars: how to apply it

A pea-sized amount, twice a day. Baraka's shea butter goes on healed scars in a thin layer: warm about a pea-sized amount between your fingertips until it melts, then press and smooth it over the scar and the skin around it, morning and night. Use it only once the wound has fully closed.

1. Wait until the wound has closed. While a cut or scrape is still healing, the American Academy of Dermatology advises keeping it clean and moist with petroleum jelly under a bandage.
2. Wash the area with lukewarm water and pat it dry. Very hot water strips the skin's oils and leaves it drier.
3. Warm a pea-sized amount of shea butter between your fingertips until it turns soft and glossy.
4. Press it onto the scar, then smooth it outward over the surrounding skin. For scar massage, work it in with firm, small circles for two to three minutes.
5. Let it absorb for a few minutes before you dress or apply makeup.
6. Repeat morning and night if you like, and stop if your skin becomes irritated.

Scars change slowly. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that although no scar can be completely removed, most fade over time, and NHS guidance says surgical scars usually flatten and fade on their own. Once a scar has healed, dermatologists advise a broad-spectrum sunscreen on it outdoors, because sun can leave it red or brown for longer.

A routine for scarred skin on the face

On the face, some people prefer a rinse-off routine. Gently cleanse with a washcloth soaked in warm, not hot, water. Apply a generous layer of shea butter directly onto the area, taking care not to rub too hard, leave it undisturbed for about 10 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Afterwards, apply a thin layer of moisturiser, either a natural homemade recipe or one made for sensitive skin, and let it absorb for a few minutes before makeup. Repeat twice a day if you like. If you're considering shea butter for marks on your face, we recommend trying it first on a small area of your skin to see how it reacts before applying it more widely; if you notice no adverse effects, you can continue using it as part of your routine.

Using shea butter on the face

Shea butter can be used on the face. Keep the amount small, because too much feels heavy and greasy rather than absorbed; used that way, many people find it a comfortable everyday moisturiser for the face.

Shea butter scars: which kinds of scar people use it on

Mostly flat, healed scars. Baraka's shea butter is most often used on flat, healed scars from cuts, scrapes, surgery and old acne, where the aim is softer, more comfortable skin. Raised scars, keloids, dark marks and stretch marks each need their own approach.

Dark marks left after acne are covered in Is Shea Butter Good for Hyperpigmentation, and the other common kind of mark people ask about is covered in Does Shea Butter Help With Stretch Marks? An older Baraka page on the same subject is Scars No More, Thanks to Shea Butter!

Keloids and raised scars

Keloids are thickened, raised masses of scar tissue that grow beyond the edges of the original wound. They can follow severe injuries and surgery, and also smaller ones: NHS guidance advises people prone to keloids to avoid piercings and tattoos, and to treat acne early to lower the risk of scarring. Shea butter is a natural moisturiser and can keep the skin around a keloid comfortable, but a keloid or any raised scar is one to show a doctor or pharmacist first.

The treatments NHS guidance lists for keloids include steroid injections or creams, silicone dressings or gels, freezing and laser treatment. Surgery is not usually recommended, because a keloid is likely to grow back.

Shea butter and scars: what research shows

Promising lab findings, few human studies. Baraka describes its unrefined shea butter by what is well established, a rich moisturiser traditionally used on dry skin, because research on shea butter and scars is still thin. Laboratory and animal studies have found anti-inflammatory activity in compounds from shea fat, but clinical studies of shea butter on human scars are scarce.

What is in shea butter

Shea butter's fat is built from fatty acids including oleic, stearic, linoleic and palmitic acid, and it naturally contains vitamins A and E. Alongside the fat it carries a smaller fraction of other compounds, including triterpene esters, which are the focus of most of the laboratory research.

The anti-inflammatory findings

A 2010 study in the Journal of Oleo Science by Akihisa and colleagues isolated eight triterpene esters from shea fat and found marked anti-inflammatory activity when they were tested on mice. The 2017 review by Lin, Zhong and Santiago lists anti-inflammatory activity among shea butter's reported effects, while marking its effect on wound healing as not yet established. This research is one reason shea butter is traditionally used to calm dry, irritated skin.

What has not been studied

Baumann's review of the research concludes that experimental and clinical studies of shea butter applied to skin are still scarce, and neither review cites a trial measuring its effect on how scars look. Shea butter's reputation for softening scars rests on traditional use and on what people report.

What dermatologists recommend for scars

The American Academy of Dermatology advises keeping a healing wound clean and moist with petroleum jelly, which stops a scab forming and helps keep the scar from becoming large, deep or itchy. For large scrapes, sores, burns or persistent redness it suggests hydrogel or silicone gel sheets, and once the wound has healed, a broad-spectrum sunscreen to help the scar fade. A dermatologist can talk through ways to make a scar less visible.

Is shea butter good for scars?

Good for the skin around them. Baraka's shea butter is a good choice for healed scars when the goal is soft, comfortable, moisturised skin: it is unrefined, water-free and needs no preservative, and a small amount is enough. Choose unrefined butter, and use it alongside any scar care a doctor recommends for raised or new scars.

Choosing shea butter for scarred skin

The distinction that matters, and the one you can check yourself, is unrefined against refined. Unrefined shea butter keeps its natural colour, ranging from ivory through cream to pale yellow, and a mild nutty, earthy smell. Refined shea butter is processed further, which removes its natural colour and smell, so it is white and odourless. Most other words on a label tell you less than they seem to.

Colour is one sign among others, not proof of quality: it varies naturally with the nuts, the region, the season and the processing. For what can actually be measured, such as moisture, free fatty acids and freshness, ask the supplier for the certificate of analysis for the batch. Shea butter usually comes in a jar or small tub with a soft, paste-like consistency, so you can scoop it out with a clean finger or a spoon.

Where Baraka's shea butter comes from

Baraka's shea butter is made by hand by women's producer groups at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, in Ghana's Upper West Region, where Baraka's founder Wayne Dunn has worked directly with the women for over 15 years. The nuts are cracked, roasted, milled to a paste, kneaded with water and boiled so the fat separates, then cooled and filtered, with no solvent at any stage; you can see each step in How Handmade Shea Butter is Made. Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade, and the wider work with the women is set out in Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

The unrefined butter described throughout this page is Baraka's Raw Shea Butter: strained and filtered only, with no refining, bleaching or deodorising, which is why it keeps its natural colour and mild nutty smell. It keeps for 2+ years when stored away from heat and direct sun. Shea butter is the ingredient everything on this page is built on, and you can find it with Baraka's other butters, or start making your own skincare with the DIY starter range.

Related reading: Shea Butter for Lips: Is it safe? What are the benefits? and Can You Put Shea Butter On Tattoos?

Does shea butter heal scars?

It moisturises; healing is the skin's work. Baraka's shea butter is a cosmetic moisturiser: the healing is done by the skin itself, which lays down a scar as it repairs a wound, and shea butter's part is to keep that skin soft, comfortable and moisturised while the scar matures. Many people report that regular use leaves a healed scar feeling smoother and less tight.

That is also why timing matters. On an open or fresh wound, dermatologists advise petroleum jelly under a bandage; shea butter comes in once the skin has closed, as part of the routine described above. This is DIY skincare advice, not medical advice: for a new wound, a scar that is raised, growing, painful or itchy, or any scar that worries you, see a doctor, dermatologist or pharmacist.

Acne dark spots

Some people use shea butter on skin marked by acne as part of their routine, including skin with dark spots left behind after a breakout. Those marks are covered in their own guide, Is Shea Butter Good for Hyperpigmentation, linked above.

What We Know and How We Know It

Shea butter's use on dry skin and its reputation for softening scars come from long-standing traditional use in West Africa and from what people report. The anti-inflammatory findings come from published laboratory and animal research, and the scar-care advice from the American Academy of Dermatology and NHS guidance. The application and massage steps reflect common practice among people who make and use their own skincare, and the facts about Baraka's shea butter come from Baraka's own product documentation.

Research sources used on this page:

• Akihisa T. et al. (2010), Anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive effects of triterpene cinnamates and acetates from shea fat, Journal of Oleo Science 59(6).
• Lin T.-K., Zhong L. and Santiago J.L. (2017), Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19(1).
• Baumann L., Shea butter, Dermatology News.
• American Academy of Dermatology, Minimize a scar: proper wound care tips from dermatologists.
• NHS guidance on keloid scars and NHS patient leaflets on silicone scar treatment.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is for general education. It reflects traditional use, reported experience and, where noted, published research. It has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. Baraka products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Keep products away from the eyes and out of reach of children, and speak to a qualified healthcare provider about any skin or health condition. Individual results vary.

A note on the traditions in this post: the practices described here come from conversations with, and time spent among, the community members and cooperative partners we work with in West Africa. We share them as anecdotal, first-hand impressions — not as verified fact or expert accounts. These traditions vary from family to family and region to region, so what follows is indicative rather than definitive. We offer it with respect and humility: to share a little of what we've encountered, not to speak for these communities or claim any authority over their traditions.

About the Author

Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter and natural oils. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients — and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.