How to Remove Dark Patches on My Skin
Dark patches on the skin have many causes. Some skin conditions like melasma cause darkening of the skin. It is hereditary for others. Some medications have dark skin patches as a side effect. Other dark patches may be liver spots that come with age and too much exposure to the sun. Many ways exist to treat dark patches on the skin from OTC lotions to home remedies. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Lemon juice
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Cream or lotion with hydroquinone
- Glycolic acid cream or lotion
Instructions
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Apply 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to the dark patchy areas with a cotton ball. Leave the juice on the skin. Apply twice each day. Lemon juice mildly bleaches the skin. The citric acid also helps to gently exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin. With the old skin removed, new skin grows that is more even in skin tone.
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Apply 1/2 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to the skin with a cotton ball. Leave the hydrogen peroxide on the skin. Apply once a day. You can use hydrogen peroxide in addition to the lemon juice or instead of the lemon juice. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching substance found in teeth-whitening products and hair dyes. Most bottles of hydrogen peroxide sold in supermarkets and drug stores contain only about 3 to 3.5 percent. This is the amount the FDA approves for external and internal use on the skin.
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Apply over-the-counter skin bleaches or skin lighteners containing hydroquinone. Apply the lotion to the dark patches to get a more even skin tone in several weeks.
The Mayo Clinic suggests over-the-counter creams or lotions that contain hydroquinone. This is a very effective chemical for fading discolorations on the skin.
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Apply a cream or lotion with glycolic acid, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Glycolic acid is a fruit acid, a natural substance that exfoliates the skin, reducing discolorations and promoting new skin growth. Many lotions on the market contain glycolic acid, one of the alpha hyroxy acids or AHAs found in many skin care products. Use either a lotion with hydroquinone or glycolic acid, but not both together to avoid allergic reactions.
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