Most of us associate skin pigmentation with age, but this is not always the case. Sunspots are caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays.
They are flat patches that are usually darker in color than the rest of the skin. They are common on the face and hands. Medically, they are called solar lentigines and are rarely associated with genetics. They are not harmful; but they are also not desirable because they leave the skin with a blotchy appearance.
Home remedies from your kitchen cupboard
Lemon juice –
Slightly acidic lemon juice helps fade sun spots. To add, the vitamin C it contains is good for the overall health of the skin. Leaves skin with a smooth texture and even tone.
Use a cotton ball to apply some freshly squeezed lemon juice to the discolored spot. Let sit for 15-20 minutes and rinse with cold water. For best results apply daily for 2 months. If you suffer from dry skin, lemon juice could dry it out even more. In this case, you can dilute it with water or honey or add a little olive oil.
Red onion –
Red onion juice works like a bleach and helps to gradually lighten age spots. Simply cut a red onion and apply it to the affected area. Leave the juice for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with cold water. Do it once a day for about 2 months.
Buttermilk-
Buttermilk helps improve the appearance of facial blemishes by acting as an exfoliant. Contains lactic acid that removes layers of dead skin from the skin. Buttermilk is more suitable for dry skin as its natural fat content moisturizes it. However, if your skin is oily or acne-prone, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
Apply buttermilk with a cotton ball directly on sun spots. Another recipe you can use is a mixture of 4 teaspoons of buttermilk and 2 teaspoons of tomato juice.
Green Tea-
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and therefore beneficial for skin health. Put a tea bag in a cup of boiling water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bag onto a cotton ball and apply it to the sun spot. Green tea will gradually fade age spots.
Aloe vera-
Aloe vera works wonders repairing and rejuvenating the skin. The best thing to use is fresh Aloe Vera gel. Cut a leaf, take the gel and apply it to the sun damaged area. It should be applied twice a day for about 30 minutes.
The treatment must be followed religiously for 2 months if you want noticeable results. In case fresh aloe vera gel is not available, you can use fresh aloe juice or a cream infused with it.
Apple cider vinegar
You will find that apple cider vinegar is listed as a natural remedy for a variety of health problems. It is one of the best ingredients if you are looking to erase those sun spots permanently.
Apple cider vinegar is too strong to use on the skin undiluted; therefore, it must be diluted with an equal amount of water. Do not leave it on your skin for a long time or repeat the procedure too often. It could irritate the skin. Alternatively, you can mix apple cider vinegar with orange juice or onion juice.
At the doctor’s office:
Chemical Peels –
Chemical peels reverse sun damage. It involves the use of chemical solutions to remove the top layers of skin and expose a new layer of skin. There are side effects to the procedure. It has to be done in a dermatologist’s clinic and only after a spot test.
Laser resurfacing-
Laser resurfacing restores the skin by removing damaged layers with laser light. Although it is a permanent and very effective solution, it is expensive and requires a lot of post-treatment care. It is recommended for severely damaged skin.
vitamin E capsules
Vitamin E is a silver bullet for all skin and hair problems. For faster results, open a vitamin E capsule and gently massage the gel-like substance into sun spots. Leave it on overnight and wipe it off with a damp cloth in the morning. You can do the same if your skin has scars.
You can also use skin lightening serums that contain hydroquinone and licorice extract as the main ingredients.
What else to keep them away?
Sunspots will continue to rear their ugly head if you go out in the sun without protection.
• Try as much as possible to avoid exposing the skin to direct sunlight.
• Protect your face with a scarf or wide-brimmed hat.
• Slather has a good sunscreen with at least 30SPF or higher and one with zinc oxide.
As a precaution, you should have your sun spots checked out by your doctor, especially if they are extremely dark and slightly raised. These could be moles and not sunspots.