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Some would argue that there are no coincidences. That all circumstances arise from perfect synchronicity. Years ago, I stumbled upon a hyperpigmentation home remedy that freed me from the agony I had been enduring for almost a decade. Stay tuned to learn about how I corrected one aggravating problem with two simple ingredients.

 

In the summer of 2004, I took a cruise to the beautiful island of Dominica and became introduced to its exotic sulfur springs.  My tour guide talked about the healing properties of the clay within those springs and put some of it in a bag for me to bring back home.

 

Months later, I developed a few pimples on the lower half of my face and started thinking of ways that I could dry them out. That’s when I remembered the sulfur clay that I brought back from Dominica.  It had been sitting in a small plastic bag for a while – and probably spoiled – but I decided to use it anyway since I had used it months earlier without a problem.

 

So, I washed my face, added some water to the hardened clay, and smeared it all over my cheeks, which is where the pimples were.  I left it on for about an hour while I multi-tasked, but when I finally washed it off and looked in the mirror, I noticed something was different about my complexion. 

 

I was hoping what I saw was just a temporary residue, because the clay was dark grey and my skin now had a similar hue.  My cheeks felt slightly inflamed, but I assumed that feeling would subside overnight, if not before. However, the next day came and went, and the discoloration was still there.  So it was official…

 

I accidentally burned my face!  

 

Okay, so in the literal sense, that’s not what happened.  The clinical term for what I experienced is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I’ll go into more detail about that shortly.

 

But for the next nine years, I tried everything I could think of to restore my complexion: professional skin peels, exfoliating face scrubs, etc. – but with little to no results.  And I don’t usually put on makeup, but wearing foundation became mandatory for me to feel comfortable interacting with the public. 

 

Fast forward to the summer of 2012.  I noticed a dark brown, circular rash on the left side of my lower abdomen. I thought it might be a bacterial or fungal infection, so my DIY tendencies kicked in, and I suddenly got the idea to treat it with lemon juice.

 

You can read more about that in my lemon juice deodorant story here. 

 

Two months later, after consistently applying the lemon juice two to three times a day, the rash was completely gone – like it was never even there.  Interestingly enough, I had no idea lemon juice could be used to treat hyperpigmentation. I purely wanted to kill the bacteria and stop the itching.

 

But now that I knew it could eliminate dark marks, I decided to apply it to the hyperpigmentation on my face.  And since my mother used to tell me about the healing properties of vitamin E oil and I had some available, I decided to combine the two.

 

So, before going to bed, I washed my face, mixed a few drops of both the vitamin E oil and lemon juice in the palm of my hand, gently rubbed the mixture into my cheeks, and went to sleep.

 

The next morning, as I was in the bathroom washing my hands, I raised my head to look in the mirror and was amazed at what I saw.  The hyperpigmentation on my face seemed to have gotten significantly lighter overnight! I couldn’t even believe it, lol.

 

So, how did that happen?

 

 

How lemon juice helps even your skin tone/fight hyperpigmentation

 

Hyperpigmentation is a term used to describe skin pigmentation disorders. Characterized by dark blotches of skin that can appear on various parts of the body, it can develop due to factors like hormonal changes, sun damage, and inflammation.  Listed below are the most common types of hyperpigmentation:

 

• Melasma – usually occurs on the face and primarily affects women; can be caused by hormonal changes, sun exposure, and has also been associated with thyroid disease.  
• Age Spots – most common in people over the age of 40 who have a fair skin tone; can be caused by aging skin and sun exposure.
• Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation – the result of damaged or irritated skin, and can occur anywhere on the body; more common in people with darker skin tones. 

 

Lemon juice is high in vitamin C – an antioxidant that has a variety of skin benefits when applied topically. Studies have shown that vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can reduce skin discoloration by hindering melanin production.  Interestingly enough, it appears to do so without lightening the surrounding skin and causing further discoloration. 

 

For example, years ago – after having a bad acne breakout – I went to a dermatologist who gave me hydroquinone to lighten my acne scars. After a few uses, I noticed my scars were getting lighter.  However, so was the surrounding skin.  

 

I only used the hydroquinone to spot-treat each blemish, but it still spilled over to the neighboring skin – which made matters worse because that left me with a three-tone face! 

 

In contrast, when I began using lemon juice years later, it only lightened the hyperpigmented parts of my face, despite coming in contact with the surrounding skin.  I’m still not completely clear on why this happens, but – ah, the many wonders of nature.

 

So, as you can see, the ascorbic acid in lemon juice works well as an anti-hyperpigmentation agent. It helped me restore my complexion, and below is the method that worked for me.

 

My Lemon Juice Strategy For Combating Hyperpigmentation

 

 

1. Before going to bed at night, wash your face with a gentle cleanser.  I would recommend using a natural turmeric soap because of its skin clarifying, brightening, and anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Next, slice a lemon and squeeze a few drops of juice in your hand. Then, gently use your fingers to massage it into your hyperpigmented skin. Store the unused lemon in the refrigerator for use the following night.
3. To moisturize your face, I would recommend using raw mango butter because it’s rich in vitamins C and E – both of which are great for treating hyperpigmentation, as previously mentioned.  Also, it’s not too oily, absorbs well in the skin, and provides UV protection. I’ve been using raw mango butter for years because it’s chemical-free, it feels good and is extremely cost-effective. With a shelf life of two years, I use it on my entire body, and it lasts a long time.
4. The next morning, wash, tone, and moisturize your face like normal. 
5. Repeat daily. 

 

Note: When I first started this process, I would squeeze the oil from a vitamin E capsule, mix it with the lemon juice, and rub it in as a spot treatment. But since mango butter is already rich in Vitamin E (+ Vitamin C), seems to penetrate the skin better, and contains other skin-friendly ingredients, I started using that instead. 

 

The Results

The first time I followed the above routine, I noticed an improvement the very next day.  After a month of doing it consistently, there was a drastic change in the look and feel of my skin. It was softer, brighter, more even-toned, and my acne breakouts had ceased.

 

So, after spending tons of money on various gels, creams, and peels, the hyperpigmentation that was once the bane of my existence was finally fading away – for only pennies on the dollar, lol.     

 

From the above strategy, the two primary hyperpigmentation-fighting agents that I want to highlight are Vitamins C and E.  Below are some of their general skin benefits when applied topically:

 

Vitamin C Skin Benefits: 

• Lightens hyperpigmentation
• Brightens and evens skin tone
• Increases collagen production for stronger skin and fewer wrinkles

 

Vitamin E Skin Benefits:

• Helps protect against free radical damage
• Moisturizing agent
• Nourishes the skin

 

On top of that, studies suggest that vitamins C and E work well together and provide significantly more UV protection when combined than they do individually. 

 

Note: My goal is to share my story with the hope that anyone who reads it will find it helpful.  I can’t guarantee that what has worked for me will work for you. However, I hope it does if you decide to try.

 

Other Tips and Tricks  

 

In addition to what I’ve outlined above, I also steamed my face and used a sugar/lemon juice scrub twice a week, which I believe enhanced my results.  The procedure went as follows:

 

Facial Steam and Lemon Juice Scrub Procedure

Items needed:

• Large towel
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

 

Instructions:

1. Fill a medium-sized pot with water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, combine brown sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. The result should have the consistency of a watery paste.
3. When the water finishes boiling, turn off the fire and remove the pot lid.
4. With the towel draped over your head to keep the steam from escaping, stand slightly bent over the pot, so the steam flows upwards toward your face. The closer your face is to the water in the pot, the warmer the steam will feel.  Adjust your position according to what temperature is most comfortable. Make sure the steam isn’t too hot to avoid irritating your skin. Keep your eyes closed.
5. Stay in that position for about 5 minutes to allow the steam to open your pores.     
6. Next, step away from the pot, remove the towel, and while your pores are still open, gently massage the lemon juice sugar scrub into your face, preferably while standing over a sink.
7. Let the mixture remain on your face for 20 minutes and then rinse with cool water.
8. Dry your face, use a toner to restore your skin’s ph balance, then apply a moisturizer.  As mentioned above, I recommend using raw mango butter.

 

Note: If you’d rather not have to stand bent over a stove in order to steam your face, there are alternatives. You can place the pot on a table and be in a seated position instead. Just be sure to put a thick cloth between the pot and table to prevent any heat damage. 

 

Alternatively, you might also consider using a portable facial steamer for even more convenience. 

 

Skin Steam and Lemon Sugar Scrub Benefits

 

In my experience, the above steam/lemon/sugar scrub routine offers the following benefits:

• Opens pores, which allows for a deeper cleansing
• Easier removal of stubborn whiteheads and blackheads
• Hydrates the skin
• Improves blood circulation in the face
• Softens the skin
• Helps shed dead skin cells
• Sugar and lemon juice combo seems to produce a mild skin peel

 

But let’s face it (pun intended), sometimes we’re pressed for time and don’t have an extra 10 minutes to boil water and steam our faces.  Therefore, I came up with the following shortcut to perform twice a week at night before bed:

 

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
2. Wet a thick washcloth and squeeze some of the water out; just enough so it’s not dripping.
3. Put the washcloth on a dish and place it in the microwave.
4. Turn on the microwave for 30 seconds.
5. When the microwave stops, remove the dish and carefully use the thumb and index fingers on both hands to pinch the edges of the washcloth to open it and hold it out in front of you.
6. After a few seconds – once some of the heat escapes the washcloth – slightly tilt your head back and drape the washcloth over your face.
7. Leave the washcloth on your face for 10 to 15 seconds to allow the warmth to open your pores. 
8. Gently wipe the washcloth upward and off of your face.
9. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice in one hand and use the fingers of your other hand to gently massage the lemon juice into the hyperpigmented areas of your face. 
10. Next, apply mango butter moisturizer.  

 

I find the above washcloth-in-the-microwave method to be very refreshing yet relaxing.

 

Precautions

 

I don’t put lemon juice on my face and go out in the sun.  I’ve never had a science-backed reason for making that decision.  Something just told me that the combination of citric acid and sunlight might be irritating to the skin.

  

And come to find out as I’m writing this article, exposing skin to citrus fruits and then to sunlight shortly after can lead to something called phytophotodermatitis – a skin condition characterized by swelling, blisters, and other inflammatory responses.

 

So, if you’re reading this article and decide to give my lemon juice method a shot, avoid going in the sun with lemon juice on your face, just in case. As mentioned above, I apply the lemon juice in the evening before bed so it can “work it’s magic” overnight.  Then I wash my face in the morning before being exposed to the sun. 

 

In closing, if you’re struggling with hyperpigmentation and decide to try what I outlined above, leave a comment below and let me know how it went!