Natural Solutions For Brown Skin Spots

What do pregnant women and the over 50’s have in common? Well actually they could be one and the same thing, if they are women – but the common factor is the dark patches on the skin, like big freckles, which are known as melasma.

Both sexes do get them but they seem to be more common in women than in men and they are usually first noticeable on the backs of the hands and the face. Usually treated with drugs, chemical peels and the like, you may want to look at what else you can do to avoid and minimise them.

Melasma are thought to have a hormonal basis, probably the result of over-stimulation of pigment-producing cells by oestrogen and progesterone. This means that women taking hormones such as in HRT and the contraceptive pill are more likely to be at risk of developing melasma as are those who have had prolonged sun exposure or are of Asian descent.

Other risk factors include exposure to all types of light including UVA, fluorescent and even computer screens as they can all can prompt the onset of this type of condition. Having a poor immune system or being deficient in essential nutrients also increase the risk of developing these dark patches on the skin.

Natural solutions:
The best place to start is with prevention, and that begins with limiting sun exposure an always wearing a high factor sunblock of 30 or above. If you already have any dark patches then stay out of the sun to ensure they don’t darken further.

The good news is that if you have melasma, then on their own the hyperpigmented spots don’t pose any threat to your health. It is more an emotional and psychological issue as they are not attractive, but they do only change very gradually dependent on the amount of sunlight your skin is exposed to.

The first remedy to try is MSM (methysulphorylmethane) sulphur which can be taken to reduce the signs of melasma. It is a natural sulphur which some sufferers find helpful, but stock up before April as it could be one of the natural remedies that disappear from the shelves.

Aloe vera has long been valued for its ability to heal the skin, and organic aloe vera juice applied locally to help even out small, discolored areas is worth a try. However if your patches are much larger, then one suggestion I found online from a sufferer comes from an even older source – apple cider vinegar. Mixed with aloe juice in a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts cider vinegar (both organic please) and applied to the face regularly did the trick for a woman who had suffered for three years with pigmentation on her face.

Not a scientific trial, but a simple and natural method that might work for you too.

Article by AnnA