Dark spots on your face may be nothing more than overgrown freckles. Too many years of direct sunlight is the most common reason dark spots appear as you age, says Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, a dermatologist at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital in a 2009 report to the American Academy of Dermatology. The blemishes are also called age spots or liver spots. HomeRemediesWeb.com says you can reduce or even eliminate them with simple home treatments you can make in your kitchen. Some dark spots require medical care. Ask your doctor before trying any home remedies.
Step 1
Chop very fine, or grind in a blender, a raw onion. Strain or squeeze the pulp in cheese cloth to extract fresh onion juice.
Step 2
Mix 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp. of fresh onion juice.
Step 3
Moisten a cotton pad with your onion juice and vinegar mixture and apply it directly over the brown spots you want to reduce.
Step 4
Rinse the treated site and apply a skin moisturizer to soothe any mild irritation you may feel after your treatments.
Step 5
Repeat Steps 2 through 4 every day, morning and evening. Repeat the process until you achieve the desired degree of reduction in the dark coloration of the spots.
Tips and Warnings
- Refrigerate any left over onion juice for your next application. Mix larger portions, keeping the same proportions, if you are treating multiple spots. For additional lightening, you may secure the juice moistened pad in place with hypoallergenic medical tape for 30 minutes. After six weeks, gradual lightening is usually apparent. You can safely continue the treatment until you see the degree of reduction you desire in the dark coloration.
- Dermatology researchers at the Hershey Medical Center of Penn State University, reporting in a 2008 edition of the "Journal of Cutaneous Pathology," warn you to avoid harsh home remedies like bloodroot and chemicals like hydroquinone, which can leave permanent scars and discolorations and may be carcinogenic. MayoClinic.com warns that some dark skin spots may be a kind of skin cancer called melanoma. Self-diagnosis and self-treatment can be dangerous. Show every dark spot you want to treat to your doctor before trying any remedies, whether home made or over-the-counter.
Things You'll Need
- Onion
- Apple cider vinegar
- Food blender
- Cheesecloth or tea strainer
- Cotton pads
- Hypoallergenic medical tape
- Skin moisturizer
References
- Skin Care Guide: Age Spots Removal: Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Work?
- Journal of Cutaneous Pathology: Histopathologic Findings and Diagnostic Difficulties Posed with Use of Escharotic Agents for Treatment of Skin Lesions: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
- MayoClinic.com: What's the Difference Between a Freckle and a Mole?
- DocShop: Home Remedies for Age and Sun Spots
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