How to Lighten Birthmarks Naturally

Sometimes, there are just no reasons behind birthmarks and they look unpleasant too. You can hide them with a little make up on a temporary basis, but there are some ways which can help lighten these birthmarks. Read the following lines for more information on how to lighten birthmarks naturally.

Birthmarks appear shortly after the birth of a baby and many of them are not inherited. These appear due to overproduction of melanocytes (pigment cells in the skin).

Types of Birthmarks

There are generally two types of birthmarks – pigmented birthmarks and red birthmarks.

Red Birthmarks: This type has blood vessels marks on the skin and may develop soon after birth. Some commonly found red birthmarks are:
Portwine birthmarks – lie flat against the skin
Strawberry birthmarks – it has raised red surface
Stork bites or salmon patches – these are pink in color and flat
Hemangiomas – these are red in color and present at birth

Pigmented birthmarks – Some common types are:
Mongolian spots – generally bluish and appear as a bruise
Moles – these are usually black, brown or flesh colored
Cafe-au-Lait Spots – these are light brown spots or tan in color and mostly oval in shape
Congenital nevi – these are generally brownish black or brown mark usually present at birth

Natural Remedies to Lighten Birthmarks

The following are a few home remedies for reducing the appearance of birthmarks. In some cases, there can be a drastic reduction in their appearance, but in some cases, there can be no results as it all depends on the color, size, location and type of birthmarks.

• Lemon juice: It is well known for its bleaching properties. Squeeze out a few drops of lemon juice and apply on the birthmarks to lighten them.
• Ice cubes: It is also a wonderful remedy for reducing birthmarks naturally. Massage area with spots with ice cubes as it will tighten the pores of the skin and lighten its pigmentation.
• Tomato juice: Tomatoes are rich in anti-oxidants, thus, they help in lightening the skin tone by preventing damage to skin cells. Rub tomato juice over the birthmarks to lighten their appearance.
• Oranges: These are rich source of vitamin C and has several anti-oxidant properties. Massage birthmarks with orange juice to help repair skin and also lightening the pigmentation in the skin. Orange oil can also be used to lighten the pigmentation in the skin.
• Apricots: take out pulp of apricots and massage it on the birthmarks, at least three times in a week. It will help in lightening them in a natural manner.
• Oats scrub: Mix oats with some milk and rice powder to lighten the skin pigmentation. This is an effective remedy as it will help remove the dead skin cells and bring out a brighter skin tone.
• Olive oil: Apart from using any of the above remedies, massaging the birthmarks with olive oil helps lightening the pigments and provides nourishment and moisturizing properties to the skin.

These are some of the effective home remedies to lighten birthmarks naturally, but if you observe any change in their size, color and shape, then you must consult your dermatologist as soon as possible as there can be some complications involved in it. It is also important to eat diets rich in vitamin A, C and E to lighten birthmarks.