External Uses of Lemon Juice

LEMON (Citrus Limon) is a thin-skin, yellow fruit from a citrus tree that belongs to the family of plants known as Rutaceae.

Among all the citrus fruits, grapefruits, oranges, lime and tangerine, lemon is the most widely used for the treatment of common skin diseases.  Lemon is very rich in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), citric acid, and malic acid. Fresh lemon juice is one of the richest sources of vitamin C and citrus acid. In deed, studies hare shown that one liter of fresh lemon juice contains approximately 500mg of vitamin C and up to 50g of citric acid. Also, it contains vitamin A, B vitamins, and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous copper etc. 

  Almost all parts of lemon fruit the juice, the peels/ rind, the seed and the essential oils are used externally.

Lemon juice has many therapeutic/herbal actions; that makes it very useful for external purposes e.g:

(1) Lemon is known for its antiseptic properties (helps in preventing bacterial growth). 

(2) Lemon is an poison antidote – neutralizes poisons

(3) It has astringent activities, i.e, lemon juice reduces internal and external secretions due to its tissue tightening effects.

(4) Lemon juice has an antiprurigineous property, i.e. it reduces itching on the skin. 

Lemon Juice for Cosmetic, Beauty and Skin Treatments:

Lemon is one of the favorite fruits for beauty treatment. It imparts antiseptic and skin lightering actions when used in cosmetics; hence, it is effectively used in the preparation of: 

* Skin tonics.

* Cleansing creams. 

* Face masks, etc.

* Shampoos and hair rinse to strengthen the hair:

To brighten dull complexion of the skin.

To remove skin spots.

To soften and smoothen the skin.

To break up cellulites and varicose veins, etc. Lemon juice or lemon juice mixed with olive or coconut oil is massaged on the body, face, arms and legs every night.

Lemon juice protects the skin from oxidative changes. 

   Lemon juice can be applied on the skin for the following conditions: acne, pimples, stretch marks, age spots, wrinkles, herpes, dark underarms, etc.

   To maintain a beautiful, smooth, fair and spotless skin, fresh lemon juice is applied on the face, legs and arms every night. 

Formula: 

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons

Pawpaw pulp – 2 teaspoons.

Mix properly and apply on the face for 20 minutes. Then wash off with cold water to give a glowing. complexion. Nettle infusion could to be taken as well. 

To remove wrinkles and lines under the eyes, massage gently with a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil or virgin coconut oil daily. The lemon and coconut oil mixture can also be used for messaging the scalp vigorously to help reverse premature gray hear.

Lemon juice is applied overnight to help to strengthen brittle finger.

Lemon Juice for Foot Treatment:

(i) After a long walk, prolonged standing, strenuous exercise, e.t.c, the feet are soaked in hot water 

and salt solution and are then massaged with lemon juice and olive oil mixture to:

– Relax the feet.

– Prevent tiredness, aching pains in the feet. This treatment is also good for:

– Burning soles, sore feet, and to break cellulites.

– To soothe restless feet, tender feet and rough hands.

Massaging the feet with the oil of lemon has the same effect because the oil has stimulant and rubefacient effects when applied externally. 

(ii) Lemon juice together with olive oil is also applied externally for eczema and also to stop itching. And the mixture is taken internally together with starchless and all-fruit diet.

(iii) Lemon juice / pawpaw juice is applied on the foot to heal athletes foot.

(iv) Tiyng lemon rind overnight on corn relieves the pain and the corn itself.

Lemon Juice for the Treatment Wounds and Sores

The pulp of lemon is used as poultice or the juice is used as compress to: 

(i) Disinfect wounds and sores. 

(ii) Reduce swellings, e.g. inflamed breast. 

(iii) Treat boils, skin eruptions, abscesses, etc. Garlic/ Lemon Juice or lemon juice/ olive oil is also taken orally. 

Lemon Juice for Douching:

Diluted lemon juice is used for douching by women:

(a) For female vaginal hygiene.

(b) To overcome recurrent leucorrhea and irritation associated with infections.

Lemon Juice for Gum Diseases:

Lemon juice /table salt is rubbed into the gums several times daily:

To cure and prevent gum disease (e.g. acute inflammation). 

To treat dental caries, oral thrush and pyorrhea. Also to whiten the teeth and strengthen the gum.

Lemon juice is used as gargle for sore throat and tonsillitis. 

Lemon Juice for Cataract prevention: 

Diluted lemon juice is used as eye drops two times daily for cataract prevention, especially in 

diabetic patients. Lemon juice (diluted) is also used as a collynum (eye wash).

Lemon Juice for Treating Adenoids and Clearing the Nasal Passages:

Sniffing in an undiluted lemon juice up to 3 times daily helps in curing adenoids. 

Lemon / Garlic mixture and lime/ cowries are also taken internally

Lemon juice: clears nasal passages.

Relieves the discomfort of sinusitis.

Clears head cold.

Stops nasal bleeding.

Other Uses of Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice has a mild bleaching action. The juice or the rind of the fruit is mixed with a pinch of salt and is used for polishing bronze, silver, brass, copper, stainless steel, kitchen sink and other metals that have been neglected for a long time. Then rinse the object with water after scrubbing. 

It is also used to descale pots and kettles. 

Lemon juice removes ink stain.

Rubbing the rind of the fruit on the hand helps in removing the objectionable odors from the hands after peeling garlic, onions, etc. It also removes stain on the hands.