Once a friend of mine had this blemish on her face. The blemish forced her to wear makeup all the time. Permit me to rephrase please: my friend was so insecure about her blemish that she had to wear makeup all the time so she could conceal it and feel good at least. This wasn’t cool at all to me. My friend was getting addicted to makeup all because of a blemish that added to her insecurities. This moved me to research on how to remove skin blemishes without bleaching. Without bleaching, in particular, because I knew how much my friend hated the thought of using chemical products to lighten her complexion.
If you are like my friend, some days, you may want to go out without wearing makeup but then a blemish on your face makes you grab on some foundation so it can be hidden. Blemishes appear on any part of the body in the form of black spots, mark or skin discoloration. However, it is the ones on the face that is usually a headache to many people.
Types of Blemishes
Before looking at how to remove blemishes without bleaching, let’s see the types of blemishes.
Age Spots
Also known as liver spots, age spots usually happen to adults over the age of 40. It is caused by overexposure to the sun which results in overactive skin pigment cells that speed up the production of melanin in the skin.
Skin Rash
This is a change in the colour and texture of the skin. It is caused by fungal or bacterial skin infection, overexposure to the sun, hot weather conditions, dry skin, food allergies, insect bites and effects of certain medication.
Acne
Acne happens when bacteria, dirt or oil block a hair follicle on the skin. Unhealthy diet, hormones, stress, wrong skin care products, poor hygiene, etc., can cause acne.
Melasma
This occurs as dark patches on the skin. It happens as a result of excessive production of melanin. Generally, melasma is caused by birth control pills, pregnancy, exposure to the sun, and hormones.
Birth Marks
Birthmarks are congenital marks on the skin. That is, they appear from birth. Birthmarks can be of different colors such as black, brown, grey. There is no known cause of birthmarks.
How to Remove Skin Blemishes Without Bleaching
Some of the natural ways to remove skin blemishes are:
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera contains polysaccharides that spur the growth of new skin cells and get rid of blemishes and scars on the skin. To apply, extract the aloe vera gel from the plant and apply it on your skin. Afterwards, once it is dry, wash off with water. Do this every day for a month for better results.
2. Lemon
Lemon has natural bleaching properties that lighten up scars and blemishes. To use, slice up a lemon and apply the juice on the affected area. Let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing off with water. For better results, apply lemon every day for two weeks.
3. Egg White
Egg white contains natural enzymes that lightens the skin. To use, apply egg white on affected area with your fingers or a brush. Then rinse off with cold water when it gets dry. Do this twice a week for a month to make the blemish fade off quickly.
4. Honey
The anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants present in honey lighten blemishes and scars. To use, apply a teaspoon of honey on the blemish and let it sit for about 15 minutes before proceeding to wash it off with cold water.
5. Tomatoes
Tomato contains vitamin C, antioxidants and astringent properties that clears off blemishes and heals the skin. To use, massage your skin with the juice from a tomato and leave to dry for 15 minutes before washing off with water.
While blemishes like birthmark can’t be avoided, others can. You can save yourself the stress of having a blemish by having a good skincare routine, eating healthily, exercising regularly to flush out toxins, living a stress-free life and getting enough sleep.
