White Spots on Skin: Possible Causes and 15 Home Remedies

woman undergoing skin treatment

White spots on skin can be embarrassing and make a person very self-conscious. In this article, we’re going to look at some possible causes for white spots on skin as well as 15 home remedies. Let’s start by looking at some causes.

White spots on skin are known by the medical name vitiligo. Their cause has not yet been determined, however, there are a number of indicators that surround a potential cause. Those indicators include:

  • autoimmune disorder;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • overexposure to sun rays;
  • excessive stress;
  • vitamin B12 deficiency;

Besides these causes, white spots on skin can also be a result of fungal infections like eczema, psoriasis, or another skin condition.

These 15 remedies can help you get rid of white spots on skin, but they are not all inclusive. White spots on skin can be linked to other, more serious conditions which will require treatment by your health care provider.

15 Home Remedies for White Spots on Skin

Neem

We will begin with a non-traditional remedy for white spots on skin, which is neem.

What to do:

  • Crush neem leaves and mix with enough buttermilk to create a thick paste, which you can apply to the affected areas.
  • A few drops of neem essential oil with 1 Tbsp of olive or coconut oil can also be used instead of the above paste.
  • Tea made with neem or neem juice can also be used internally.

How it works:

Taken internally, neem is a blood purifier and immune booster, but it can also help restore proper skin pigmentation when used topically.

neem leaves in rain

Turmeric

Turmeric is a treatment for white spots on skin that you might not have considered, but should.

What to do:

  • Mix 5 tsp of turmeric powder in 1 cup of mustard oil.
  • Apply the oil over the affected area.
  • Mix with neem leaves to enhance the effectiveness of both.

How it works:

Both turmeric and mustard oil are notable in their ability to restore skin pigmentation when used topically.

Radish Seeds

To reduce or eliminate white spots on skin, radish seeds are an appropriate treatment as well.

What to do:

  • Grind 1 tsp of radish seeds into a powder.
  • The powder with 2 tsp of vinegar or honey to make a paste.
  • Apply the paste to the affected areas daily for several months.

How it works:

Radish seeds and vinegar are a traditional remedy for skin pigmentation issues that has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine.

Ginger

A cousin to turmeric, ginger is also an effective remedy for white spots on skin.

What to do:

  • Freshly peeled and sliced ginger root can be applied to the affected area until the ginger dries out completely. Repeat this process a couple of times a day until you see improvement.
  • You can also make ginger root tea by boiling 2 tsp of peeled and sliced ginger root in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain the tea, add lemon and honey and drink it 2 to 3 times a day.

How it works:

Ginger improves blood circulation and melanin production, both of which aid in the treatment of vitiligo.

Red Clay

A highly effective treatment for white spots on skin is the application of red clay.

What to do:

  • Mix equal amounts of ginger tea (as shown above) with red clay to create a paste.
  • Apply the paste to the affected areas
  • Allow the paste to dry completely (30 to 45 minutes) and then rinse off.
  • Repeat each day for a couple of months.

How it works:

The high copper content in red clay provides one of the essential trace minerals in the healing of skin pigment discoloration.

Copper

The trace mineral copper is another means by which you can get rid of white spots on skin.

What to do:

  • Place drinking water in a copper pot or kettle and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight. (If you put it in the refrigerator, it will ruin the effectiveness of the copper.)
  • Drink the copper infused water first thing each morning on an empty stomach.

How it works:

Copper is required to assist the enzyme tyrosinase in synthesizing melanin pigment, which is lacking in the white spots on skin.

ginko biloba tree

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba is an odd member on our list of cures for white spots on skin, but it is still a home remedy that works.

What to do:

  • Take a supplement of ginkgo biloba at a dosage between 40 and 80 mg three times a day.
  • Consult a health care professional if you’re unsure of how much of this herb you should consume.

How it works:

The antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties of ginkgo biloba can help reduce the progression of vitiligo and also induce new pigmentation to your skin.

Vitamin E Oil

Known as an essential vitamin for skin tissue health, vitamin E oil is another way to fight against white spots on skin.

What to do:

  • Clip off the end of a vitamin E capsule and apply the oil from inside of it to the affected area.
  • Repeat this process throughout the day.
  • You can also consume up to 1500 IU of vitamin E as a daily supplement.

How it works:

Vitamin E is very potent when it comes to revitalizing and rejuvenating skin tissue. It also helps to relieve itching and irritation that sometimes accompanies white spots on skin.

Papaya

You can also rid yourself of white spots on skin through the use of papaya.

What to do:

  • Rub sliced papaya directly on the affected area or mash them and apply it like a mask.
  • Leave the mask or juice in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Rinse off the mask with cool water and repeat the process daily.

How it works:

Papaya, like carrots, is rich in carotene. Carotene is essential in the production of melanin and proper skin pigmentation.

Coconut Oil Massage

Gentle massage using coconut oil is another home remedy for white spots on skin that you can use.

What to do:

  • Massage coconut oil into the affected areas in the morning and before going to bed.
  • Allow the oil to remain throughout the night or day.
  • Stick to this routine for several months.

How it works:

The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are anti-microbial to kill any fungus or other bacterial or viral causes. Additionally, coconut oil moisturizes and encourages blood circulation.

Honey

A sticky, sweet remedy for white spots on skin is honey.

What to do:

  • Apply raw, organic honey to the affected area and allow it to sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing off.
  • You can add 1 tsp of turmeric powder and frankincense essential oil to the honey to enhance its benefits.

How it works:

Honey has natural antifungal and antibacterial properties that help rid your skin of any of the potential microbial causes for vitiligo.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Another of the many healthy uses of apple cider vinegar is its use in the elimination of white spots on skin.

What to do:

  • Wash the affected area daily with equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar.
  • Drink a 12 oz. glass of warm water mixed with 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar before meals daily.

How it works:

Apple cider vinegar performs natural body cleansing, which improves circulation and is also effective as an antimicrobial treatment both internally and externally.

Babchi

Ayurvedic medicine contributes babchi to our list of potential cures for white spots on skin.

What to do:

  • Place babchi (aka bakuchi) seeds in ginger juice to soak for 3 days replacing the ginger juice daily.
  • Remove the husks by rubbing them between your hands vigorously.
  • Grind the seeds into a fine powder and consume ¼ tsp of the powder in a glass of warm milk daily for 40 days.
  • You can also mix the powder with honey or oil to create a paste to apply topically to the affected areas.

How it works:

Babchi has antipsoriatic properties and is also an ayurvedic remedy for hypopigmentation, which has been used for centuries in India. Use with caution: ayurvedic medicine has been proven to be pseudoscience. While babchi may work, it’s important to keep the dosage low and not prolong the treatment more than necessary.

Frankincense Essential Oil

An excellent home remedy for white spots on skin, which works, is frankincense essential oil.

What to do:

  • Mix 3 to 4 drops of frankincense oil in 1 Tbsp of coconut or olive oil.
  • Apply the oil mixture to the affected area daily.

How it works:

Frankincense oil is a recommended treatment for eczema and psoriasis. It will also promote melanin production.

foods high in b12

Vitamin B12

Boosting your levels of Vitamin B12 can also help you to get rid of white spots on skin.

What to do:

How it works:

Since one of the potential causes of vitiligo is vitamin B12 deficiency, making certain that your body has plenty of vitamin B12 can help clear up the condition.

A Final Note

White spots on skin are not only unsightly, but they could be an indicator of other nutritional or microbial issues internally. Though the exact causes of the condition are not definitive, our 15 home remedies for white spots on skin can be used to restore the proper pigmentation to your skin and give you a boost in self-confidence as well. Please feel free to add to our list or discuss how well those we’ve listed work in the comments section below.

Images from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.