Dark spots, also known as black spots or hyperpigmentation mostly appear in middle age people, as a result of the sun exposure. This skin condition occurs when some areas of the skin produce more melanin than usual. Melanin is a dark biological pigment that gives your eyes, skin, and hair their color. If your skin has areas where the color is darker, don’t worry, they are not health issues and do not need treatment. Still, you can reduce the dark spots from cosmetic reasons. There are simple remedies and dermatological treatments, you can try right now.
Causes and Symptoms of Dark Spots
There are several types of dark spots and they usually vary from the skin’s areas when they appear. The most common areas are the back of the hands, face, shoulders and back. Their size and color also varies. The color of the spots can range from light brown to dark brown, depending of the person’s skin tone.
The most common causes of dark spots are being over exposed to sun or tanning, hormonal changes especially in women during pregnancy, skin discoloration when melasma or small patches on the skin occurs, side effects from using some medicaments, skin inflammation like eczema and psoriasis, skin irritation from using cosmetics products, diabetes and after insect bites, cuts and burns.
Treatments and Home Remedies for Dark Spots
Dark spots are harmless; still it is a very unpleasant skin condition. If you are trying to get rid of the dark spots on your skin, here are some treatments and home remedies that can help you.
There are many dermatological treatments to lighten the dark spots, or remove them. Visit your dermatologist to offer the best procedure for your skin type. Remember, some products, creams and methods for removing dark spots can be quite expensive. Your doctor can recommend some of these treatments, such as laser removal, chemical peels, cryotherapy, and prescription of creams for lightening the skin, or microdermabrasion which is a procedure when the outer layer of the skin is removed with a device with an abrasive surface.
If you are looking for some natural remedies to lighten your skin, here are the best solutions:
Aloe Vera
The aloe Vera gel is the amazing remedy for the skin due to its natural ingredients. Just rub the cut Aloe Vera leaf on your affected area and let it dry. Rinse with water. Repeat this natural treatment several times to get rid of the darks spots.
Potato Juice
Another natural remedy that can help you blemish the dark spots is the potato. Cut thinly sliced piece of potato to rub your affected area. Let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse your skin with lukewarm water.
Orange peels
The orange is full with Vitamin C which makes it a perfect remedy for all sorts of skin conditions, including the lightening of the skin. Mix 1 tbsp of orange peel powder with 3 tbsp of milk and apply this facial mask on the affected area. Let it sit on your skin for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse with water.
Remember, there are also many home remedies with no evidence for effectiveness, that’s why it is very important to consult your dermatologist before using any of them. Some home treatments might have side effects or may aggravate the skin. It is not recommended to apply lemon juice on your skin, because it might make the dark spots even worse.
Tips how to prevent dark spots on the skin from developing
Although there are some non preventable factors such as the hormonal changes in your body, or the skin discoloration, still there are few things you can do to prevent dark spots:
- Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes when you are exposed to sun;
- Use a sunscreen every day to protect your skin;
- Treat skin conditions such as acne on time;
- Avoid sun exposure when it is too hot outside.