Over the years, sun exposure can damage the skin and prematurely cause age spots, fine lines, discoloration, a dulled appearance and other signs of aging, explains the American Society for Dermatological Surgery. While many prescription-strength medications and medical procedures are available to treat sun damage, they are costly and may cause significant side effects.
Lemon juice may be beneficial to sun-damaged skin because it contains citric acid and vitamin C, an antioxidant that is effective at protecting against sun damage when applied topically, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society.
Step 1
Soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it to age spots or other areas of skin discoloration. For smaller spots, use a cotton swab instead of a cotton ball to prevent lightening areas around the discoloration.
Step 2
Allow the lemon to remain on your skin for up to 10 minutes, and then rinse with cool water. The lemon juice will gradually lighten the color of darkened areas to even out your skin tone.
Step 3
Mix lemon juice and sugar granules into a paste and then massage it into sun-damaged skin. Exfoliating with fresh lemon juice will remove the top layer of dead skin cells to open your pores and improve the appearance and texture of your skin, says Jerome Z. Litt, M.D., of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Exfoliate your skin several times each week.
Step 4
Moisturize your skin twice each day with a water-based lotion to reduce irritation and dryness caused by the lemon.
Tips and Warnings
- Applying lemon juice to skin discoloration before spending time in the sun may result in more rapid skin lightening, according to Health911.
Things You'll Need
- Cotton balls
- Lemon juice
- Cotton swabs
- Sugar
- Moisturizer
