As eyes are the windows to the soul, hands are the medium of expression. What does having brown spots on hands say about you?
These dark skin patches generally appear as a result of either age, genetics or an excessive suntan. In the latter case, sunspots pop up on the exposed areas such as the face, the chest, the arms, the hands, the back, and the neck.
The sun causes an increase in the cell production of melanocytes. In turn, they produce more melanin in the skin. As a result, the skin darkens in a process called hyperpigmentation.
Moreover, there are other factors conducive to brown spots on hands. Pregnancy, stress, low vitamin level, a weakened liver, dirt and impurities in the air also make their marks on your skin.
Apart from those melanin deposits as a consequence of over-exposure to the sun, free radicals also damage the skin and cause brown spots on hands. According to the free-radical theory of aging, these byproducts of cellular metabolism carry a heavy impact on the body.
These small brown or black colored lesions all over your body are painless and harmless, but from an aesthetic point of view, they can be a real nuisance.
The next effective, easy and natural 15 home remedies will not only lighten these unsightly blemishes, but also your day.
Lemon juice is the quintessential natural bleach. Just check the ingredients on many of the bleaching creams in supermarkets, and you’ll find citric acid is a regular on the list.
Citric acid and its antioxidant properties will safely remove the dark patches and do wonders to those brown spots on hands. More than that, the lemon juice will leave your skin feeling lighter, softer, and brighter.
Method:
Simply slice a lemon, rub it on the affected area for 15 minutes twice a day, then rinse off with water.
Mix things up with a spoonful of sugar. Make a paste and use it as a scrub on your face, hands, and chest. The sugar granules will also exfoliate the skin.
Or add 1 tsp of turmeric to 3 tsp of lemon juice and apply to the skin.
When you’re administering this treatment for six to eight weeks, the brown blemishes will begin to disappear.
You may know gram flour by its other names – garbanzo bean flour, besan, or chickpea flour. More than being a staple ingredient in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, gram flour is an age-old trick in beauty routines and skin care treatments.
A majority of Indian women have darker skin as a result of excessive sun exposure. They use besan as a natural skin lightener, just as European women try their luck with lemon juice. What if the two joined powers?
Method:
Combine besan and lemon juice to clear those dark patches. You can also mix some yogurt, turmeric powder, tomato juice, and milk to form a super power paste.
Apply it on those brown spots on hands and leave for 20 minutes. Once it dries, you can scrub the area gently with 2- 3 drops of castor oil for 5 minutes. Then wash it off with water.
Follow the process twice daily for 10 days, then repeat at lesser intervals for the weeks to come. Or until you see some results.
Originating from the same family as mustard, horseradish it’s known to pinch some noses when used in the kitchen. This herb is notorious for its pungent, strong flavor.
Horseradish is a natural remedy to lighten skin discoloration, remove blemishes and reduce freckles.
Method:
You can make your own concoction by mixing 4 inches of freshly grated horseradish root with ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. Now, patience is crucial.
Put the herbed vinegar in a jar, seal the lid, and leave to sit for two weeks. However, don’t forget it there. You need to shake it daily. After two weeks, strain the mixture in your storage container. Apply a little amount to your brown spots on hands and store the rest in the refrigerator.
An ancient Indian medicinal system called the Ayurveda touts buttermilk as the natural skin lightener and blemish remover to store in your kitchen cupboard.
Buttermilk has lactic acid that exfoliates those pigments from your skin and leaves it brighter and better refreshed.
If you can’t get it at the market – although there’s nothing you don’t find at the market nowadays, you can prepare your own substitute at home. Just combine a cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
The thin liquid which you are left with you can use to remove those unsightly brownish spots. Just apply on the affected skin area and leave for 10 minutes.
Aloe Vera is the go-go traditional cure of dermatological ailments like burns and scars. Its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties can help hydrate the skin, lighten up those dark patches while spreading a refreshing glow over the affected area.
Aloe Vera juice stimulates the growth of new skin cells to replace the dead ones. To squeeze the gel out from the Aloe Vera, cut a leaf and apply the sticky juice on the brown spots.
Leave it on for half an hour, then wash thoroughly and repeat the process twice a day for about a month.
Sandalwood will rejuvenate your appearance and make your skin feel comfortable and fresh again. Not to mention that cooling sensation it gives the body.
The Indian timber flakes contain antiseptic properties. Sandalwood can fight free radicals and help reduce hyperpigmentation on the skin.
Methods:
You can mix sandalwood with many other high-powered ingredients to fight age-related skin spots. The most usual method involves mixing two tablespoons of sandalwood powder and two teaspoons of rose water. Add some drops of glycerin and lemon juice, and apply the paste on the affected area.
Alternatively, combine sandalwood with orange juice, the contents of 2 vitamin E capsules, and lemon juice. Apply this concoction on the spots, leave rest for half an hour, then rinse away.
As a grand finale, massage some almond or olive oil over the brown spots on hands.
All berries, including red currants, are tiny powerhouses of nutrients, vitamins B and C, and antioxidants that battle brown spots on hands and remove free radicals influence on the skin.
Red currants will boost skin cell regeneration, and secondly provide protection from harmful UV rays.
Method:
Take a handful of unripe red currants, mash them into a paste, and add some honey into the mix. Apply the sweet paste on the sun-spots, wait for half an hour, then wash away with warm water.
Yogurt’s milky white appearance is a first give-away. This is a top skin lightener. Not only does its lactic acid content make your skin lighter by many tones, it also relieves the affected area of sunburns and the resulting brown spots.
Method:
Take 1 tablespoon of yogurt, two of oatmeal and some drops of lemon juice, make a paste, and apply using a cotton ball. Wait for 30 minutes, then rinse it with cold water.
This vegetable oil is extracted from a plant largely native to India and the African continent. When applied to the affected skin area, castor oil will encourage the production of elastin and collagen. Skin hydration is essential in the battle against dark patches.
Plus, you’ll feel your skin running smooth and scented along your body. Along with castor oil, mix in coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, and vitamin E oil. Use a cotton ball to apply the concoction on, leave for a few hours, and wash off with lukewarm water.
Preferably, employ this option at night. The oils need time to penetrate the skin and remove the blemishes.
Granted, it will get a little slippery in those bed sheets, but the effects are well worth it. For a more detailed list of all the health benefits of castor oil, check our post here.
ACV, or apple cider vinegar, is one of the simplest and most successful home remedies to remove those undesired brown patches on your skin.
This type of vinegar will help balance the skin’s pH level and dry those sun spots, dirt, and impurities to a crisp.
Method:
Add an equal amount of water to the ACV to dilute it. If the smell is too strong, you can also add some honey. Apply it daily on your hands. Don’t leave on for too long, as the vinegar tends to dry your skin quickly.
Onions are chock full of organic compounds, including vitamin C, which will act as natural skin bleachers.
To treat the brown spots on hands, onions stop excessive collagen production. Its anti-inflammatory qualities relieve the skin of scars and blemishes.
Method:
Simply slice up some an onion and rub the juice over the affected area. Repeat two times a day for several weeks.
If you want to hide the strong smell, mix one tablespoon of onion juice and two of honey together. Apply, leave on for about 15 minutes, then rinse gently.
The chemical structure of papaya is highly beneficial for your skin. Certain enzymes like papain and alpha hydroxy acids in this ‘fruit of angels’, as the Caribbean papaya was first called by Columbus, can help exfoliate the skin and reduce brown spots on hands.
Simply grate a buttery fresh papaya and rub one tablespoon each session on your hands. Leave it on for about 20 minutes, then rinse with tepid water.
Repeat twice a day until you spot an improvement.
Waste should not exist when we talk fruits and vegetables. Everything can be recycled or put to good use. Take the watermelon rind, for example.
Most people might throw away the rind without realizing this part of the watermelon contains plenty of health-promoting antioxidants, blood-building chlorophyll, and vitamin C.
To help remove the brown spots on hands, simply rub the rind of a watermelon on the age blemishes.
Cumin, or ‘Jeera’ in Hindi, is basically a tiny seed belonging to the parsley family, native to the Mediterranean.
The plant contains high amounts of vitamin E that help smooth the aging process and prevent wrinkles, spots and age-related blemishes appearing prematurely on the skin.
Cumin releases most of its essential oils and disinfectant properties when boiled. So throw a handful of cumin seeds in water, boil them, then wash your face and rub your hands with the liquid.
No need to rinse afterward. Let the cumin work its wonders.
Dandelion is not a picky plant. It grows in lawns, meadows, even on pavements. Its benefits on your skin have roots in the rich plethora of antioxidants and nutrients. Dandelion stems can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, or saggy skin. So all your worries blow in the wind.
The best cure is prevention. Protect yourself against the powerful sun rays by covering yourself with sun cream, staying in shady areas, or using a summer umbrella.
After all, why invest all of the ingredients above in removing brown spots on hands when you can employ them in your favorite kitchen recipes to satisfy your taste palates instead?
