How to Lighten Skin at Home

Use sun block every day.

Whether you have darkened patches of skin on your knees and elbows from repeated friction or you have patchy dark spots from staying in the sun too long, there are ways to lighten your skin. As we age our skin shows pigment changes and darkening may occur. For this reason, lighter skin is often associated with youth. Try a few skin-lightening techniques at home but be prepared to make this an ongoing process. It takes a few weeks to see the changes.

Things You'll Need

• Skin cream with hydroquinone
• Lemon juice
• Milk
• Fresh mint leaves
• Vitamin C
• Sun block

Instructions

1. Apply a cream that contains hydroquinone to darkened areas of your skin. Hydroquinone gradually and safely lightens pigment problems and evens out skin tone. Before going to bed, clean your skin and smooth on the hydroquinone cream, massaging it into the problem areas until it is absorbed.

2. Combine equal amounts of milk and lemon juice and saturate a clean washcloth or other absorbent fabric with the solution. Use the wet cloth to massage the darkened areas once or twice a day. In addition, allow the solution to dry on your skin.

3. Use the two halves of a lemon with the juice removed as skin-lightening caps for your elbows. Since elbows often suffer skin discoloration due to friction from clothing, place each elbow into the hollow of half of a lemon and allow it to remain for a few minutes for a quick treatment.

4. Make a poultice of fresh mint leaves soaked in warm water. Wring out the leaves until they are just damp and apply them to your face or other darkened skin area, avoiding your eyes. This doubles as a wonderful skin-refreshing pick-me-up. Try lying down with the mint poultice on your face and two slices of fresh cucumber on your eyes for fifteen minutes. You’ll feel renewed and your skin will lighten with repeated applications.

5. Increase your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C inhibits the excessive production of melanin so your skin tone will even out. Although it takes a few months to see a change, it will decrease your risk of developing more patches that are uneven.

6. Apply sun block every day. Even in the winter, your skin can discolor if exposed to the sun. Right after cleaning your face, apply a high SPF factor, non-greasy, sun block and allow your face to dry before putting on your moisturizer and makeup.

Tips & Warnings

• Give it some time. Lightening your skin is a slow process and you must be consistent.