Although the severity of your wrinkles can be affected by lifestyle choices--such as smoking and sun exposure--some wrinkling is virtually unavoidable. Wrinkles in the form of deep furrows may require surgery to repair, but MedicineNet.com notes that fine lines may respond to wrinkle treatments. You can use ordinary milk in a home remedy to improve the appearance of fine lines and to reduce scars.
Milk and Oatmeal Wrinkle Mask
Step 1
Stir 2 tbsp. of uncooked oats into 4 tbsp. fresh whole milk. According to Great Home Remedies, you should then allow the mixture to sit and thicken for 10 minutes. Since the days of Cleopatra--who was rumored to have bathed in milk to keep her skin smooth--natural beauty experts have advocated the use of milk as a topical anti-aging treatment. There is clinical research supporting the belief that lactic acid--a constituent of milk--has skin-beautifying properties. In a clinical study titled "Topical 8% Glycolic Acid and 8% L- Lactic Acid Creams for the Treatment of Photodamaged Skin," conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and published in the June 1996 issue of Archives of Dermatology, researchers found that lactic acid improved the appearance of sun damage, spotting, and roughness on the facial skin of 74 female patients aged 40 to 74.
Step 2
Apply the milk and oatmeal paste to your entire face with a clean cotton ball. Pay special attention to the area around your mouth--where laugh lines can form--the area at the outer corners of your eyes--where crows' feet can set in--and the space between your eyebrows, where two parallel vertical lines, sometimes called "the elevens," can develop. Take care to cover your jawline, as well as your neck and throat. In addition to the beneficial qualities of the milk, the oatmeal in the remedy acts as a mild natural exfoliant, gently removing dead skin cells to reveal new, healthy skin underneath.
Step 3
Allow the paste to stay in place for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Rinse the paste off with lukewarm--never hot--water, using a damp, clean washcloth if necessary. Follow up by splashing your face with cool water.
Step 5
Pat skin dry, and apply a good-quality commercial facial moisturizer.
Milk and Nutmeg for Scars
Step 1
Mix 1 tsp. nutmeg powder with 1 tbsp. of milk to make a natural scar-lightening remedy. Beauty Secrets Revealed says that nutmeg may lighten scars dramatically. My Sensitive Skin Care concurs, and points out that the scar-removing remedy, particularly recommended for acne scars, will not only help heal acne scars, but may reduce future outbreaks. Ageless, an herbal anti-aging website, notes that nutmeg has anti-inflammatory and toning effects when applied topically, but cautions that you should not use it if you are pregnant.
Step 2
Use a clean cotton ball to dab the milk and nutmeg mixture on the affected area. The mixture may be messy to apply, and prone to drips; work over a sink, or wear an old smock or shirt to protect clothes. Allow the mixture to remain in place for 20 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water.
Step 3
Repeat the application of milk and nutmeg every day for best results.
Tips and Warnings
- Apply a small amount of the treatments to your wrist before you use them elsewhere to make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.
Things You'll Need
- 2 tbsp. uncooked oatmeal
- 4 tbsp. fresh whole milk
- Good-quality commercial facial moisturizer
- 1 tsp. powdered nutmeg
- 1 tbsp. fresh whole milk
- Old smock or shirt (optional)
- Clean cotton ball
- Clean, damp washcloth (optional)
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