Dark spots are known as age spots or black spots. And while they are painless, they can harm your self-esteem and image. For example, let’s say you have a party you have to attend. And foundation does not cover your dark spots.
So, what can you do? How to remove dark spots on face?
Well, before we get to some of the natural and medical remedies, we have to understand what are dark spots. They are essential, discolored patches of skin that can appear on your face, but also on arms, shoulders, or back.
They can appear in shades of red, brown, or grey. Dark spots appear due to oversecretion of melanin, the pigment responsible for the color of your skin.
Covering with makeup is not always successful. We have a couple of remedies that will lighten them naturally. As you age, wrinkles and dark spots can make you look older than you actually are, and we want to help you have young-looking skin.
What causes dark spots?
We said dark spots appear due to oversecretion of melanin. But why does that happen?
Here are the most common ones:
- Excessive sun exposure, as spending too much time in the sun, or in tanning beds without sunscreen will cause your skin to increase the production of melanin
- Hormonal changes and fluctuation in the production of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, or when taking birth control pills, or going through menopause can cause imbalanced melanin production
- Removing facial hair by tweezing, waxing, or depilatory creams can cause skin inflammation and later lead to discoloration
- Acne and injuries can leave behind scars that evolve into dark spots
- Age is also a factor. As you age, your skin cells do not reproduce as easily as when you were young, and it becomes more difficult for the skin to repair the damage
Natural remedies for dark spots
Lemon juice
When it comes to natural bleaching agents, lemon is always on top of the list. The acidity of lemon juice acts as a bleaching agent and can reduce discoloration on any area of your skin.
To apply pure lemon juice, just dab a cotton ball or Q-tip in juice, and then apply on your dark spots on the face.
Repeat the process two times per day. Just be careful, do a patch test with lemon juice, as it can be problematic on sensitive skin. If that is the case, dilute with water.
Lemon and yogurt face mask
Lemon works wonderfully on its own. But you can always increase the potency of the face mask. Yogurt will act as a cleansing agent, and the combined effects will brighten your skin.
Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl, and then add a tablespoon of fresh yogurt.
Mix well, and then apply the mask on your face.
Leave it to work its magic for 30 minutes, and then wash off with clean water. Repeat two times per week.
Lemon and sugar
There are a number of treatments you can try to remove dark spots on face involving lemon. This one, for example, can also serve as an exfoliating mask.
That means it will help you clear and cleanse your face of dead skin cells and other debris build up. The result is a refreshed glow on your face.
Squeeze half a lemon in a mixing bowl, and then add a teaspoon of sugar.
Mix them well, and then scrub the mixture all over your face.
Use circular motions, and pay special attention to the dark spots on your skin.
Continue scrubbing for two minutes, and then wash off with clean water.
Repeat just once per week, making sure you avoid the area under and around your eyes.
Aloe vera gel
They say there is not a single skin issue aloe vera cannot help with. Full with antioxidants, aloe vera can naturally reduce brown spots and even out your skin tone. In the same time, the gel brightens your complexion and renews your skin cells.
Buy 100% pure aloe vera gel from a health food store, or use gel directly from the plant.
Apply on your spots using gently and circular movements.
Leave the gel to stay for 15 minutes, and rinse with water.
Potato slices
This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of dark spots on face. You need only a potato and a knife.
Slice up the potato into thin slices, and then apply little water on them. This will make the slices wet.
Place them in areas where you have dark spots, and leave them for 10 minutes. Remove, and repeat every day.
Potato and honey
If you want to make the potato slices more potent for skin benefits, add some honey. Honey works wonderfully in any face mask to eliminate skin impurities.
Grate one potato, and then add a teaspoon of honey.
You can add more honey or some water if the mixture is too dry.
Apply as a face mask, and leave it to stay for 15 minutes.
Wash off with clean water.
Almond oil
You can source sweet almond oil from any drugstore. And it is one of the best remedies for dark spots on face.
Just rub a few drops of almond oil between your fingers, and then apply all over your face.
Apply as you apply any lotion.
Do this before going to bed, and do not wash off.
Turmeric, lemon, and milk
We should thank the people in India for exporting turmeric to the Western World. Turmeric is an essential ingredient in the cooking of Indian dishes, but also a huge part of the skin and hair remedies. Putting only turmeric can be hard to imagine for some people, in fear of yellow toning. That is why we suggest mixing with other ingredients.
Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric, one teaspoon of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of milk.
Apply all over your face, and then gently massage in areas with dark spots.
Leave the mask for 15 minutes, and then rinse with water. Repeat every other day.
Parsley, lemon, and honey
Parsley is loaded with vitamin A and vitamin C. Both of these vitamins renew your skin by stimulating collagen production. In the same time, they act as antioxidants, reducing the damage done by free radicals.
Parsley also contains vitamin K, which prevents the formation of wrinkles, and the antibacterial nature gives you clean and healthy skin.
Chop 1 head of parsley, and then mix with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of honey in a blender.
You can add some water as well.
Apply the mixture all over your face, and then leave it to stay for 20 minutes.
Rinse with clean water.
What are medical procedures you can try?
As a last resort, you can try some medical procedures. There are a couple of options, and we want to point out some of the more successful.
- Laser treatment is a non-invasive procedure that is relatively painless and provides quick results. The number of sessions depends on a couple of factors, like skin type, skin color, and severity of the issue
- Chemical peel treatment involves application of a chemical on your skin. It will cause your skin to blister and peel off, which will activate your regenerative cells. After that, a new layer of skin will form. The chemical used depends on the darkness and depth of your dark spots. And the number of sessions will depend on the nature of the dark spots. Similar as with laser treatment, your skin will be highly sensitive afterward
- Microdermabrasion is another non-invasive treatment used to rejuvenate your skin and is quite effective in removing dark spots. The goal is to reboot your collagen production
- Cryosurgery is a non-invasive treatment where liquid nitrogen is sprayed onto your dark spots. This will freeze your spots, and cause them to turn white. Depending on the dark spot, the doctor might repeat the process a couple of times
