Beauty  

DIY Home Remedies For Dark Spots

By Oreoritse Tariemi

28 January 2022   |   11:07 am

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Anyone dealing with acne or hyperpigmentation understands how difficult getting rid of the dark spots that remain after.  While not everyone gets them, those that do know that dealing with these dark spots, whether on the face, chest or elsewhere, can be frustrating and many times, they don't go away on their own.  Dark spots…

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Anyone dealing with acne or hyperpigmentation understands how difficult getting rid of the dark spots that remain after. 

While not everyone gets them, those that do know that dealing with these dark spots, whether on the face, chest or elsewhere, can be frustrating and many times, they don’t go away on their own. 

Dark spots can be caused by scarring and hyperpigmentation (photodamage caused by sun exposure). People with more pigment (darker skinned people) are even more prone to hyperpigmentation and scarring.

They tend to go away with the right skincare routine, chemical peel, and the right products most of the time. At the same time, you can find DIY home remedies for getting rid of dark spots right in your kitchen; here are 5 of them:

• Try Exfoliating With Papaya

A well known natural exfoliant, papaya is a surefire way to brighten your skin tone. Papaya contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), a chemical exfoliant used for dry skin and improves the skin’s top layers by weakening the lipids that hold it together. 

AHAs are efficient in breaking down skin cells, also increasing collagen production by removing dead cells. To exfoliate with papaya, mash ripe papaya into a bowl, next cleanse your face and apply the mashed papaya as a mask to your clean skin.

To remove the mask, use gentle circular motions, allowing for the proper exfoliation of the dead skin cells. 

• Turmeric Helps Even Skin Tone

An age-long natural skincare ingredient, people have used turmeric for centuries for its healing properties. Well known to inhibit the skin’s melanin production, turmeric can be used as a natural treatment for hyperpigmentation. 

Make a mask using turmeric and honey; you can also add a few drops of lemon juice if you have no pimples or sensitive skin. Next, apply to already cleaned skin.

• Reduce Spots & Soothe Skin With Almond Oil

Almond oil isn’t only useful in cooking; it also helps reduce discolouration on the skin. However, instead of the regular almond oil used in cooking, the almond oil in skincare is fortified with additional vitamins and minerals. 

Its Vitamin E and niacin content allows for the treatment of hyperpigmentation and improving skin tone. You can add this oil to your nighttime routine, whether as a makeup remover or a moisturizer.

• Brighten Your Complexion With Yogurt

Another kitchen ingredient that also doubles as a skin-brightening product is yoghurt. Yoghurt exfoliates the skin by breaking down dead skin cells. 

Containing Lactic acid, also an AHA, yoghurt doubles as a chemical exfoliant. Lactic acid improves discolouration and age spots and is much gentler on the skin than other chemical exfoliants.

You can choose to apply yoghurt to your clean skin alone or by mixing additional ingredients like honey or oatmeal to improve your skin’s health and soothe your dry skin. 

• Use Tomatoes To Reverse Photo Damage 

Let’s avoid throwing tomatoes on your face instead; try mixing tomato paste olive oil and consuming it.

Rich in lycopene, tomatoes have many health benefits, including sun protection. Another alternative is to try out other fruits and veggies, like guava, pink grapefruit, watermelon, and red sweet peppers.

Many natural ingredients have been proven to improve dark spots on the skin. Whatever you choose, remember to do a patch test first before applying generously on your skin and contact your dermatologist to know if this is the right treatment for your skin.