Dark Skin Causes

Dark Skin Causes

The causes for a dark skin or complexion could be many. Some of the most common ones are -

Heredity - People who have a dark skin often have children who are dark-skinned too. The genes seem to pass on from generation to generation.

Hyperpigmentation - In this condition the skin produces too much of the pigment melanin, causing the skin to become darker than usual.

Skin disorders - Conditions such as Lichen Simplex Chronicus is a skin disorder that causes severe itching that leaves the skin thick, dark and patchy.

Sun rays - Over exposure to sun causes the skin to tan. This is a natural mechanism, wherein to protect itself from the harmful UV rays of the sun, the skin produces more of the pigment melanin which shields the penetration of UV rays into the skin.

Home Remedies for Dark Skin

Here are some simple home remedies that you can do to lighten the skin tone and get a lighter complexion. However, they must be done regularly and best results are obtained if they are inculcated as a part of daily routine.

Mix 1 tsp of milk powder, 1 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of lemon juice, and ½ tsp of almond oil. Apply on face and wash off after 10-15 minutes. This pack helps bring shine to the skin and also removes tan.

Mix oatmeal with curd and tomato juice and apply on the face. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. It helps remove the tan and lightens the skin.

Place sliced raw potato on the face. It helps reduce blemishes and other marks.

Applying turmeric powder along with lime juice removes the tan. Lime juice is a natural bleach.

Dried orange peels mixed with curd also help reduce blemishes and scars. Wash off this mixture with cold water after 15 minutes.

Soak 4 almonds overnight. Grind into a fine paste using milk. Apply on face and neck and leave it overnight. Wash with cold water in the morning. Do this daily for 15 days, followed by twice a week.

A tbsp of gram flour mixed with 2 tsp of raw milk and 2-3 drops of lime juice works well for lightening dark skin. Apply this mixture and leave it for 15 minutes before washing off. Repeat for 4 weeks and follow up with once a week.

Apply a paste of fresh ground mint leaves and leave it for about 20 minutes. Wash with cold water, continue for 15 days.

Apply a mixture of grated tomato with 2-3 drops of lime juice on the face. Leave it for 20 minutes before washing off. Do this twice a day for 15-20 days for best results

Other suggestions for Dark Skin

Use a good quality sunscreen when going out in the sun to protect the skin from tanning as well as the sun's UV rays.

Be regular and persistent with the home remedies for skin lightening as suggested above.

All the mixtures, pastes and scrubs should be prepared freshly as they do not keep for a long time.

. Apply a mixture of equal amounts of lemon juice and honey on the face and whole body. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off.

· Apply a mixture of equal amounts of lemon and cucumber juice on the face and whole body. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off. If your skin is dry, use honey and lemon juice.

· First scrub your face with cucumber slices and then apply cucumber juice (with skin on cucumber) to your face, leave it there overnight and wash in the morning.

· Apply a gram flour (besan) and turmeric (haldi) paste on face and neck. After sometime when it dries, scrub it off gently. This would gradually reduce body hair over a period of time.

· For 15 days, apply a paste of gram flour (besan), milk (2 teaspoon) and lime juice(3-4 drops) on face and neck for 15 minutes and wash with water. You complexion should improve. Repeat every 2 weeks.

· Apply yogurt to the face.

· Apply grated white radish or its juice for fairer complexion.

· For Babies: Massage the body with almond oil or any other oil once a week. Give baby a bath after 15 minutes.

· Make a paste of honey, milk, yogurt, and ground sesame seeds in equal proportions and apply on face and whole body.

· Mix honey with equal amount of almond oil. Apply on the face every night.

· Mix oatmeal with yogurt and tomato juice and apply on the face. Wash it with cold water after 15 minutes.

· Apply a mixture of 3-4 drops of lime juice and a grated tomato on face and neck for 15 minutes for 15 days. Wash with cold water.

· Make a paste of turmeric (haldi) powder with fresh lime juice and apply.

· Make a scrub of sandalwood powder mixed with almond powder or almond oil and milk. Massage gently on the darker areas like neck, around lips, below eyes, etc.

· Cut lime in slices and rub on the face slowly 2 - 3 times. Leave for about 5 minutes, then wash with cool water. Repeat 3-4 times a week.

· Make a paste by grinding mint leaves in water. Apply on the face and neck for 20 minutes and then wash with water.

· Make a paste by mixing a pinch of cinnamon powder to ½ teaspoon honey. Apply on the face every night.

· Protein mask:
Make a paste of 1 tablespoon urad dal and 4 almonds soaked in water overnight. Apply it your face and neck and wash it off after half an hour. It will nourish your skin and also bleach it.

· Make a paste of 4 almonds soaked in milk overnight. Apply it your face and neck before going to bed. Wash with cold water in the morning. Repeat daily for 15 days. It will make your skin fair.

· Fair look, oily skin:
Apply a mixture of equal amounts of lemon and cucumber juice on the face and whole body. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off.
Make a paste by mixing papaya, honey, milk, and milk powder. Apply on face and leave for a few minutes and wash, your face will look fairer.
Apply egg white to your face.

· Fair look, dry skin:
Apply a mixture of equal amounts of cucumber juice and honey on the face and whole body. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off.

• Dark underarms and neck:Apply a mixture of lemon and cucumber juice (equal amount) with 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Leave for 20 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.

· Complexion of unborn child
Some people believe that the complexion of an unborn child can be improved if the pregnant mother eats certain foods during pregnancy. ,

According to Chinese, a woman can influence the colour (complexion) of her baby's skin by the type of food she eats. If one want to have the baby with fair complexion (light color), one should eat light colored food during pregnancy.

Some Indians believe that if you drink milk with a few strands of saffron add to it during pregnancy, then the child will be of fair complexion. However, there is no study available on these sayings.

· Black or dark lips: Many men and women complain that their lips used to be pink but they have become dark. Read the following remedy.
If your black lips have been caused by drinking too much tea, coffee or by smoking, you will need to cut it down. Apply Vaseline with a few drops of lemon juice to your lips regularly at night. This keeps lips moisturised. In the morning, rub your lips with a toothbrush to remove dead skin.