Darker areas on the skin are something quite normal. However, there are many people who feel unpleasant and even embarrassed because they have dark elbows and knees, dark skin patches in different parts of the neck, and dark underarms.
There are actually three reasons why all these people have dark skin in these body parts – the skin pigmentation problem called acanthosis nigricans, excessive exposure to the sun, and aging.
The skin located around the knees and elbows is usually thicker and you can notice the larger number of folds compared to other body parts.
In addition, since these areas are away from oil organs, the skin is also a little bit drier. So, if you don’t take proper care of the skin, the skin around the elbows and knees becomes darker compared to the rest of the body. When it comes to the underarms, the cause of this occurrence may be found in improper (too frequent) shaving and/or the use of improper antiperspirants or chemical hair removal creams.
This is a situation in which you cannot freely keep your arms up during summer. Being cautious all the time will make your feel very uncomfortable. Luckily, there are numerous natural remedies that can help you solve this problem and the following is a list of the best ones:
Natural Remedies for Dark Patches on the Neck
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera works as a natural skin lightener. It can also saturate the skin. Aloe Vera can help you lighten the skin and lower the effects of skin spots. In addition, this remedy is packed with substances with anti-cancer properties and substances that support the healing and renewal of skin cells.
- Extract aloe vera from leaves
- Place this gel on the affected area on the neck and rub it slowly. Leave it like that for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse it with water
- Perform this procedure on a daily basis.
2. Baking Soda
Hair Buddha is used as a natural skin exfoliant. It can cleanse the skin and slowly remove dark patches. A mixture of baking soda and water has proven to be effective in eliminating over-pigmentation that is usually found on the neck.
- Mix baking soda and water (3:1 ratio) in order to create a thick paste.
- Apply this paste to the neck and leave it until it gets dry.
- Rinse it after 2-3 minutes.
- Perform this procedure two times a week.
3. Potatoes
The chemical catechol oxidase in organic potatoes comes with properties that support the lightening of skin on the neck.
- Just place some ground potatoes or raw potato juice everywhere on the neck. Leave it like that for about 15 minutes and after that use icy water to wash it off.
- In addition, you can use a combination of lemon juice and potato juice and apply it to the problematic area. Leave this mixture for 15 minutes and use cold water to clean it. Do this for several days in a row and you will notice the positive effects.
Natural Remedies for Dark Knees and Elbows
1. Lemon
Lemon is one of the best natural peeling products. This fruit is packed with vitamin C which helps eliminate dead skin cells and improve skin tone. In addition, it supports the regeneration of skin cells.
- Use lemon juice on the knees and elbows and massage the area slowly for several minutes. Leave it like that for about 20 minutes. Rinse the area with lukewarm water and use a saturating cream after that.
- You can also use the juice extracted from one lemon and mix it with one tablespoon of raw honey. Apply the mixture to the problematic area and leave it like that for 20 minutes. Rinse the mixture with water.
2. Sugar
If you want to make the skin tone in these body parts even, you can also use the help of homemade sugar scrub. The granules of sugar support exfoliation and make the skin softer.
- Mix equal amounts of sugar and olive oil in order to create a thick paste.
- Use the paste on the elbows and knees and massage it slowly for about 5 minutes.
- Perform this simple procedure once a day until you notice that the elbows and knees are lighter.
- Repeat this procedure for at least one week.
3. Almond
Almonds as well as almond oil are great for the skin. Almonds come with numerous nourishing properties that can help any individual keep the skin tone and the skin itself in great condition.
- Rub the problematic areas with lukewarm almond oil for about five minutes a day before bedtime. After only 2-3 days you will notice the difference.
- You can also mix 2 tablespoons of finely powdered almonds with a small amount of yogurt and create a thick paste. Apply this paste to the knees and elbows. Leave it until it gets dry and use your wet fingers to rub the paste. Rinse it with cold water. Perform this procedure on a daily basis for at least two weeks.
Natural Home Remedies for Dark Underarms
1. Cucumbers
Cucumber has been used as a natural product good for the skin since ancient times. It is especially good for skin lightening. In order to improve the effects, you can also use a combination of lemon juice and cucumber. The lemon juice will whiten the skin and the cucumber will relax the skin.
- Mix lime juice and cucumber juice and add a smaller amount of turmeric juice. As we said before, lemon juice whitens the skin and eliminates dead skin cells, cucumber provides cooling effects and turmeric is here to remove staining. This natural ayurvedic remedy can be used every day.
- In addition, you can cut slices of cucumber and rub the problematic zones.
- Or, simply apply some cucumber juice to the affected area. The results should be there after a few days.
2. Milk
Milk is rich in fatty acids and vitamins that can help you with dark skin under your arms. When they are mixed with curd, they can provide some excellent results for lightening dark underarms.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 1 tablespoon of curd
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients in order to create a paste.
- Apply the paste to the underarms.
- Leave it for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse it with plain water.
3. Make Chickpea Flour Mask
This is a very efficient whitening mask that can help your underarms.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of yogurt
- 1 pinch of turmeric
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients.
- Mix them until you create a smooth paste.
- Use this paste on the affected area.
- Leave it like that for one hour.
- Use water to wash it.
This mask is very effective because it cleans and whitens the skin which results in lighter skin under the arms. Use the help of this remedy on a daily basis in the first two weeks and about two times per week after that.
