Dark Patches on Face : Causes and Home Remedies

Dark patches occur when your body experiences an increase in the production of melanin, the pigment that colors your skin. This darkening can occur on any part of your body, including your face, and in any size. Many causes are behind these blotches, leading people to try several treatment methods before a response is noted. Understanding the cause of your dark patches can help you and your physician reach a method of treatment sooner.

Causes of Dark Patches

.Excessive exposure to the sun is the leading cause of melasma or dark patches on the face.

.Hormonal activities in women patients can cause these dark patches to appear. This is especially true during pregnancy, when taking birth control pills, or those who undergo HRT or Hormone Replacement Therapy.

.Genetic Predisposition.

.Anti-seizure medications and other kinds of medications that expose patients to ultraviolet light.

.Race.

.Diseases in the thyroid glands like hypothyroidism.

.Allergic reactions to certain medications and facial cosmetics.

.Trauma. Injuries to the face can cause melasma suprarenale which in turn causes melasma.

.Stress can cause excessive production of the melanocyte –stimulating hormone which can cause outbreaks of melasma.


Home Remedies for Dark Patches on Face

There are several useful home remedies that can help you lighten and get rid of dark patches on the face.

. A mixture of lime and tomato juice in equal amounts can be rubbed on the affected. This mixture should be left on the face overnight and washed with lukewarm water.

. Raw potatoes that have been grated and made into a mask can help lighten the dark patches. This should be placed on the affected area for at least ten minutes in a daily basis.

. Take one tablespoon fuller's earth, add one teaspoon of lime juice and enough rosewater to make a smooth paste. Apply this paste all over the face, rubbing it in gently. Leave it to dry and then apply again on the dark patches or spots. Leave it on for a further 5-7 minutes then wash and rinse with cold water.

. Take a few mint leaves and crush them.Tie in a piece of muslim and extract its juice. Use this pure mint juice all over the face.

. Take 2-3 slices of a ripe papaya and extract the pulp. Add to it one teaspoon of turmeric powder and one tablespoon of fuller's earth. Mash together to form a paste. Apply generously on the patches and dark areas of the skin. Leave it to dry. Then rinse it off. Regular use, maybe thrice a week, helps to even out the patches.

. Take a cucumber and grate it after peeling. To this add juice of one lime. Mix well and put it into a blender to make a fine paste. Apply this paste all over the face and let it dry. Wash off.

. Take 2 tablespoons of vinegar and add one tablespoon of rosewater. Now add the juice of one cucumber. Stir well to form a lotion. Dab this lotion all over the face and let it dry. Repeat this procedure twice or thrice till the complete lotion has been used up.

. Take one tablespoon of fuller's earth and add to it half teaspoon camphor powder and one tablespoon lime juice. Blend well to form a smooth paste. Apply all over the face, rubbing it in gently. Leave it to dry. Rinse and wash off.

. Take 2-3 carrots and grate them after peeling. Boil the grated carrots in very little water till the water dries up. Cool and mash. Apply this pack all over the face. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes; gently rub it in before rinsing off.

. Take a ripe banana, peel and mash to a pulp. Apply al over the face and leave it on for 10 minutes. Wash off and see your skin come out sparkling clean and nourished.

. Take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and add to it one teaspoon of camphor powder. Rub thoroughly into the burn mark or scar at least 10 minutes before your bath. Use regularly for quick results.

. Take a few dried orange peels and powder them. Add 2 tablespoons of curd to make a thick paste. Apply all over the face, leaving aside the eye area. Let it dry. then wash thoroughly with cold water.

. Mix sour milk or cream and honey and apply this paste on the face every day. Honey is a natural moisturizing agent while the lactic acid in sour milk lightens the complexion of the skin without irritating it.

. Massage your skin with aloe vera juice or gel every night before going to bed.

. You could also crush some horseradish root and mix this with a little vinegar and rub the dark spots with a piece of cotton wool soaked in this mixture. After the juices dry, wash your face with lukewarm water.

. Rubbing the skin gently with the peel of a watermelon also helps reduce dark patches.

. Mix together one tablespoon each of oatmeal, yoghurt and sour cream and add a few drops of lime juice to this mixture. Massage your face with this paste and leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it away with water.

. Slice a potato thinly and place the slices on your face for 15 minutes in order to bleach the spots naturally.



~source:ehow.com~