What is the best home treatment(s) for skin pigmentation?

Skin Pigmentation: causes, symptoms, prevention, and ayurvedic remedies

Skin pigmentation refers to the occurrence of dark brown spots on the face due to increased melanin. Melanin is a pigment found in your skin that is responsible for skin colour tone. Over & under-production of melanin depends upon how skin cells get damaged/affected. There are various disorders of skin pigmentation such as Albinism, Vitiligo, hyper-pigmentation, and sunburn. It can be observed as small patches on the skin to the entire body turning to pale or darker. However, with the help of home remedies skin pigmentation can be cured. Let us discuss it in detail in the following article-

Types of Skin Pigmentation

There are three major kinds of skin pigmentation/ hyper-pigmentation:

• Melasma: It exists deeper in the skin dermis. It appears as larger brown patches with a non-distinct border especially on the face. Generally, women get this type of skin pigmentation. It can begin during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, UV exposure, and stress. This type of skin pigmentation can occur anywhere on the body, but it is more prevalent on the stomach and face.
• Post Inflammatory: Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation is generally caused by an injury of the skin caused by acne, burns, frictions, or aggressive clinical treatments like laser, dermabrasion, etc.
• Sun Spots: Sunspots occur due to hyperactive pigment cells which are usually accelerated by UV light resulting in the excessive formation of melanin. Sun spots form when melanin clumps or is created at one skin place in high concentration due to excessive sun exposure. Sun spots are also known as solar lentigines. This type of skin pigmentation requires a high degree of monitoring because these may develop skin cancer and melanoma.
• Freckles: This type of skin pigmentation is generally observed in those persons who already have fair complexion and they repeatedly expose their skin to UV exposure. Freckles appear darker during the summer and fade in the winter. Heredity is also found one of the reasons of freckle skin pigmentation.

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Causes of skin pigmentation

It depends upon the type of skin pigmentation.  As discussed, Skin pigmentation is generally caused by sunburn, inflammation, or other skin related abnormalities. Following are considered the main causes of skin pigmentation-

• Adrenal insufficiency: In this situation, hormones stimulate melanin synthesis.
• Post acne marks after post-inflammatory pigmentation
• Skin Fungal Infections
• Excessive exposure to UV sunlight
• Fair complexion
• Skin Acne
• Skin Rashes or Inflammation
• Skin Burns
• Clinical treatments such as Laser, peeling, Botox injection, skin resurfacing, dermal fillers, micro-dermabrasion, and laser hair removal
• Drug-related reactions: 
• Antimalarial medicines and tricyclic antidepressants- These can produce hyper-pigmentation
• Chemicals found in topical treatments  

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How to prevent skin pigmentation?

There several steps, you should take to reduce your chances of developing skin pigmentation:

• Avoid too much direct sunlight: Avoid outing in the sun too much Whenever you're outside, sit under a sun umbrella or in the shade to reduce your solar exposure.
• Wear a cap: A wide-brimmed hat will keep the sun off your face and scalp.
• Use sunscreen: To protect your skin from dangerous UV rays, choose sun protection with an SPF of at least 15 and apply it every day whenever you are exposed to sunlight.
• Avoid touching your skin: Whenever you have skin sensation or inflammation around skin then avoid scratching or touching that specific skin area. 

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Home Remedies to Skin Pigmentation

a. Lemon and Tulsi

• Take lemon juice with tulsi (Holy basil) leaves and grind both things
• Keep this mixture in a bottle of glass (important) 
• Apply this liquid twice every day with the help of cotton on the affected area; Within a few days discoloration and skin pigmentation will start to fade away

b. Lemon and  Turmeric

• Take dry turmeric root and grind it to extract its powder; Mix it with lemon juice
• Apply this paste on blemished skin; You will notice a remarkable difference that All the pigmented marks will vanish in days
  

c. Apple cider Vinegar: Apply it to the affected area especially cheek bone area to see the effect.

d.  Potato Peels: Rub Potato peel where skin discoloration is still there. This remedy is recommended only when you have opted (a) or (b) remedy. It is an additional treatment.

e. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a boon to almost all types of skin , hair and beauty related ailments. Just a leaf of aloe vera, peel it along its length side and rub it around the pigmented skins. This remedy may take a considerable time; however it is equally effective.

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FAQs

Q. How to reduce pigmentation around the lip area?

To reduce pigmentation around the lip area, the person should keep the boundaries of lips clean and moisturized properly.  and follow the above mentioned remedies to see better results.

Q. Does laser treatment work permanently for pigmentation?

No! Laser treatment can be a short term solution; but in the long term, laser treatment as talked earlier is the main cause of hyper-pigmentation. If laser treatment goes wrong, it may become a primary reason for skin cancer or other complicacies. 

Q. How to solve pigmentation / hyper pigmentation in uneven face skin?

Refer the above mentioned home remedies of lemon & tulsi and turmeric & lemon. If still the problem persists then consult the skin doctor.Do not take any cosmetic / surgical treatment at your own thoughts or seeing advertisements from here and there. 

Q. What are the ways to reduce pigmentation on cheeks?

Application of lemon juice can be very effective to diminish cheeks pigmentation. It contains an  acid which kills bacteria and prevents their multiplication. Turmeric & basil also have such properties which heals skin quickly and rejuvenates it as early as possible depending upon your body immunity. 

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Q. What type of diets is required to lighten the pigmentation marks on the face?

A nutritious diet rich in vitamin C and flavonoids will help minimize hyper-pigmentation marks on the face. Consume foods such as papaya, avocado, orange, grapes, cherries, carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers.

Q. How to remove face pigmentation permanently at home?

According to research, aloe vera contains aloin which is a natural de-pigmentation component. It works to lighten skin and is also a nontoxic hyperpigmentation therapy for a permanent solution. 

Q. What are the home remedies for whitening the skin?

There are several tips that can help in skin whitening such as drinking enough water, sleeping well, applying sunscreen, higher intake of citrus fruits (Vitamin C), and exfoliation. There is a special skincare routine called CTM (Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing). It leads to fair and glowing skin.