Some people have naturally dark skin while others suffer from skin darkening due to hyper pigmentation and other reasons. Dark skin, dark spots or patches can also be a result of excess production of melanin which is a skin pigment. It can be further caused due to over exposure to the sun, skin disease, aging or pregnancy. It can be passed through the genes of people who have dark skin hence their children could then be born with a similar skin color. A skin disease called Simplex Chronicus is a kind of skin problem which causes severe skin itching, making it look thick and dark.
Some of the ways in which dark skin can be reduced include moisturizing the skin regularly and massaging the area to increase blood circulation to the area. A simple homemade moisturizer can be made by mashing up a vitamin E capsule along with some drops of castor oil and rubbing this paste on the face. This mixture has skin healing properties and can help reduce the appearance of any dark spots. New patches of darkened skin caused by hyper pigmentation can be lightened using the leaves from the aloe vera plant. Lemon juice, vinegar and lime juice all have natural properties which help bleach the skin. Diluted vinegar when applied to the skin proves to be a natural bleaching agent. Raw onions and potatoes also serve as effective agents in skin lightening. You can leave slices of potato or onion on the skin or extract the juices and apply. A great homemade face mask can be made by spreading mashed up avocados on the face. This helps to heal damaged skin. Other facial masks can be made using honey mixed with lemon juice or dried orange peel mixed with milk. These masks are gentle and can be used all day. You can also soak raw almonds in milk and then grind it into a paste. Apply over night and wash the next day for best results. Application of turmeric powder along with lime juice helps to lighten any sun tans. You can also mix a little gram with a few drops of honey, a teaspoon of milk and a dash of turmeric to form a paste. Apply this for fifteen to twenty minutes then rinse. Separately a paste made from freshly ground mint leaves can also result in skin lightening. Grated tomatoes along with a few drops of lime juice also prove beneficial in lightening the skin.
answered by M W