Skin Pigmentation and its Home Remedies by Herbal Queen of India Shahnaz Husain

These days, skin infection has become quite a common issue. And among the infections, many people are victims of skin pigmentation. Skin pigmentation occurs basically due to the ever-increasing problem of pollution. Besides, overexposure to the sun, irregular sleep, hectic lifestyle and hormonal imbalances can also be blamed.

Skin pigmentation

Any discolouration of the skin is known as pigmentation which is completely harmless. Skin pigmentation is a common issue faced by most of us. It is faced by both men and women.  It is in the form of sun spots, age spots, freckles, sun damage, or melisma. As a result, the skin looks dull, lifeless uneven and ruins its texture completely.  It also starts drying out the skin making it darker and patchy.

Reason

Skin pigmentation is caused by overproduction of melanin, the pigment that gives you your natural skin tone. When this pigment forms a deposit in the skin, it causes brown or tan spots on the skin which is called pigmentation

Victims

Skin pigmentation can occur to anyone on the face, hands or any other body part regardless of one’s gender, race, age or geographical locations.

Caution

In order to get rid of those stubborn pigmentation spots, we often resort to various BB creams, concealers and many other artificial creams. However, these chemical-based creams can do more harm than good to your skin.

Remedy

Skin isn’t easy to be repaired to a point where it starts glowing in a short span of time when dealt with on your own. But experts’ opinion actually works wonders for such skin types.

The natural way the best option

It is always better to go for natural ways while treating such skin conditions.

What to do

The first aspect of the treatment is protection from the sun. Actually, as part of the treatment, one should try to avoid sun-exposure as far as possible. Physical protection is the only answer by applying sunscreen before going out in the sun.

How to check

Select a sunscreen with SPF of at least 20. The sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure, to allow it time to be absorbed by the skin. It should be reapplied if you are in the sun for longer than an hour. The effects of the sun increase near water bodies and snow, as they reflect the sun’s radiation. Therefore, it becomes all the more important to protect the skin and re-apply the sunscreen after 20 to 30 minutes.

Keep the skin moisturized

If the skin is dry, it should be kept moisturized at all times. At night, after cleansing, apply a nourishing cream and massage it on the skin with a few drops of water. This helps to improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Scrubs & Masks

The use of scrubs and masks also help to remove dead skin cells and their contained pigment. This helps the dark patches to gradually become lighter. External care, itself, can remove pigmentation permanently, provided protective care is followed afterward.

Sunscreen

Even when the pigmented patches disappear, one should continue to use a sunscreen. In fact, the use of sunscreen has become an important part of modern cosmetic-care, to protect the skin from problems and premature aging.

During the change of season

During the change of season, after a harsh winter, dry skin may become dehydrated, with rough reddish patches. Give the skin some nourishment.

Home Remedy

As a home remedy, you can try applying a little sesame seed (til) oil and pat the skin with a hot moist towel. Or, apply a little milk, with a few drops of honey, leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and wash off with water.

Make a cleanser at home

If you wish to make a cleanser at home, add 5 drops of oil to one tablespoon of cold milk. Mix it well. Using cotton wool, use this mixture to wipe the skin. You will find that milk is very soothing to dry skin.

Here are some home remedies for pigmentation (dark patches):

• Mix one part honey with two parts of lemon juice and apply. Wash off after 20 minutes.
• Mix ground almonds with curd and apply. Rub the mixture gently over the skin. Leave on for 5-10 minutes and wash off with water.
• Mix rose water and lemon juice in equal quantities and apply on the dark areas. Wash off after 10 minutes, or once it dries.
• Mix besan (gram flour) and curd, with a little turmeric and apply on the dark areas.
• Take some rice flour, add a little curd and use it as a scrub on pigmented skin.

How to make a Scrub

Scrub: Mix 3 tablespoons almond meal (ground almonds) with half cup yogurt (curd). Apply on the face and neck. Rub gently, especially on the dark patches and wash off. It also helps to remove tan. Scrubs should not be applied on dry or sensitive skin.

For dry skin

For dry skin, add half teaspoon til oil to a little milk and apply on the face. Wipe off with moist cotton wool after 15 minutes.

For sunburn

For sunburn: Actually, cold milk applied daily, using cotton wool, not only helps to soothe the skin but also keeps it soft. It also makes the skin colour lighter over a period of time, if used daily.

For dark patches

For dark patches mix together a big pinch of coarse salt with a cream.  Apply only on the areas with the dark patches or spots and rub gently. Wash off. Then apply cold milk and wash off after 15 minutes. Do this twice a week.

For dark spots

For dark spots add a pinch of turmeric (haldi) to curd and apply daily on the entire face. Wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes.

How to make a Mask

Mask: Mix 3 teaspoons oatmeal with ripe papaya pulp and one teaspoon curd into a thick paste. Apply and wash off after 20 minutes. This mask suits both dry and oily skins.

Also read: Meditate For Beauty — Shahnaz Husain