About Natural Skin Lightening Treatments
If you're suffering from dark patches of skin, sometimes called melasma, or if you simply want to lighten your skin a few shades, then you might be relieved to learn that there are household items you can use to naturally lighten your skin tone. Mild acids like hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, and the lactic acid in milk can all lighten skin. For all-over lightening, or darkened skin that's a result of nutritional imbalance, there's a melasma diet. Finally, there is retinol cream, which is derived from natural ingredients. Does this Spark an idea?
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Lemon Juice
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Lemon juice is one of the oldest home remedies for skin lightening. Many people recall the episode of "The Brady Bunch" when Jan tried using lemon juice to remove her freckles. Due to the acidity of lemon juice, it's a wonder she didn't develop a burn-like rash on her face. To use lemon juice properly, dip a cotton ball in the lemon juice, apply it to the face, or only to darker spots, and allow it to dry, then moisturize with a heavy hypo-allergenic facial cream to nourish the skin. The vitamin C in the lemon, in addition to being an acid, is a powerful antioxidant that provides nutrients to the skin and encourages healthy growth as well.
The Melasma Diet
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There's a theory that melasma (darkening of the skin) is related to nutritional deficiencies--namely, an overgrowth of yeast (candida) and lack of certain digestive enzymes. Proponents of the melasma diet claim that enemas, liver cleanses, blue-green algae super-foods, yogurt and kefir, probiotics, vitamins, amino acids, and digestive enzyme supplements can rebalance the digestive system, eliminate unwanted dark patches, and even out skin tones fairly quickly.
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Milk Bath
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The lactic acid in milk has been shown to help reduce dark patches on the skin, making milk baths a popular choice, both for the moisturizing benefits of the milk fat and for the gentle, non-abrasive exfoliating affects of the lactic acid. Milk, however, is cold and expensive, and the lactic acid in regular milk isn't generally strong enough to make a big difference, even if you were to bathe in several gallons of milk. Milk is often used in skin care products to complement other ingredients. You can buy it in a concentrated form at health food stores: this may be smarter than bathing in milk.
Hydrogen Peroxide
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Hydrogen peroxide has a reputation for bleaching skin. Like lemon juice, it's slightly acidic and probably works simply by eating through a layer of skin. To use hydrogen peroxide to lighten your skin, apply it to dry skin with a cotton ball and allow it to dry. Then wipe the face with a wet washcloth to rinse, and then follow it with a thick moisturizing cream that's free from perfumes and dyes. The acid in hydrogen peroxide is stronger than that of lemon juice and can actually burn your skin if it's left on too long.
Retinol
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You might not think of Retinol as a natural product, but it is. Made of fruit acids and vitamin A, it is similar to lemon juice, but stronger. A prescription cream that is applied daily, Retinol devours the top layer of skin to reveal a fresh new layer that's lighter. The new underlayer of skin is extremely sensitive to the sun and it's important to wear sunscreen or stay in the shade when using Retinol to avoid damage to the skin.
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