6 Natural Ways To Treat Uneven Skin Tone

Your summer tan, freckles, brown spots, and hyperpigmentation disorders like melasma all have something in common – melanin. This pigment in your skin gives it color and protects it from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays by absorbing or deflecting them. The more melanin you have the darker your skin. So, when you go out in the sun, your skin starts producing more melanin and gets tanned. While melanin can slow down signs of aging and even lowers your risk for skin cancer, excessive deposits can often lead to discolored patches of skin, brown spots, or even a stubborn tan. If this a problem you are grappling with, we’ve got some easy natural remedies that can reduce melanin levels in your skin and brighten up uneven skin.

# Apply Avocado Pulp

Creamy rich avocados have created quite a buzz as a heart-friendly health food. But did you know that they can also decrease melanin levels? They contain an antioxidant called glutathione which inhibits tyrosinase – an enzyme crucial to the production of melanin. Apply some mashed up avocado pulp to hyperpigmented skin and watch it brighten up.

# Rub In Unpasteurized Soy Milk

Protein- and fiber-rich soybean is another food favored by health aficionados. And they can also reduce melanin. They contain proteins known as Bowman-Birk inhibitor and soybean trypsin inhibitor which interfere with a biological pathway for the transfer of melanin to the outer layers of the skin. Apply a little unpasteurized soy milk to pigmented areas. And make sure it’s unpasteurized as pasteurization can wreck the skin-lightening property of soy milk.

# Slather On Some Turmeric Paste

Southeast Asian communities have traditionally used turmeric as a skin-lightening agent for ages. And here’s the science behind it. According to research, curcumin, a bioactive compound found in turmeric, inhibits melanin production. Mix turmeric powder and milk to make a thick paste. Apply this to darkened skin and leave it for a bit before rinsing it off.

# Dab On A Little Sunflower Oil

Linoleic acid, a major component of sunflower oil, has been found to have skin-lightening properties. Research indicates that it can suppress melanin production and reduce hyperpigmentation from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It is also thought to reduce melanin content of the skin by accelerating the shedding of the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum).

# Apply Arnica Infused Oil

According to research, arnica flowers can inhibit melanin synthesis.

To prepare arnica flower infused oil, place the flowers in a clean jar and top up with a carrier oil like sunflower oil. Let the flowers steep in the oil for around 2 to 6 weeks. Make sure you shake the jar once a day. Then strain the oil into a jar and apply as needed.

# Try Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera has a place in so many skincare products thanks to its moisturizing and soothing properties. But you may not know that this amazing plant can also tackle hyperpigmentation. A compound in aloe vera known as aloesin has been found to inhibit tyrosinase activity and can, therefore, reduce the production of melanin. Break open an aloe vera leaf, scoop out the gel inside and apply to areas that you wish to lighten.