Melasma
Natural Remedies

Melasma Remedies

| Modified on Dec 28, 2023

Natural treatment of melasma involves topical applications of natural substances as well as internal treatments. Natural supplements, including apple cider vinegar, are nontoxic and can safely treat skin conditions and hyperpigmentation.

What is Melasma?

Melasma is a term used to describe a darkened or tan facial discoloration. The condition typically appears in women ages 20 to 50 years old and is more common in women with olive or darker skin tones. The cause of melasma is not known; however, it is commonly associated with exposure to the sun, oral contraceptives and pregnancy.

Melasma is defined by a single symptom, which is the appearance of symmetrical brown or gray discoloration on the face. The discoloration typically covers different parts of the face including the cheeks, forehead, bridge of the nose, above the upper lip and chin. Seldom, the discoloration may appear on the forearms or neck.

Natural Treatments for Hyperpigmentation

Common treatment of melasma involves medical intervention; however, hyperpigmentation can be effectively treated using natural methods. Application of apple cider vinegar and apricot oil or the consumption of beta carotene can eliminate melasma as well as other dry skin issues. Maintaining a balanced diet and skincare regimen also helps eliminate the condition.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar works to naturally balance the pH of the skin. Applied to the skin or even taken orally, apple cider vinegar eliminates darkness in the skin. Additionally, apple cider vinegar eliminates toxins and freshens the skin.

Apricot Kernel Oil

Derived from a stone fruit, apricot kernel oil is cold-pressed from the dried seeds of the apricot. The oil is natural, light-colored and rich in fatty acids, vitamins A, C and E. When applied to the skin, apricot kernel oil nourishes the skin and eliminates inflammation, soothing and healing melasma.

Beta Carotene

A member of the carotenoid family, beta carotene is a potent antioxidant. The compound also contains an extremely high level of vitamin. These two characteristics combined make it effective for treating the discoloration associated with melasma . Likewise, when applied topically, the compound alleviates inflammation of the skin.

Typically diagnosed by examining the characteristic facial darkening, melasma is often referred to as “pregnancy mask.” Topical application of natural substances and even oral supplements can cure the condition.




Aloe

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Sansash (Puerto De La Cruz, Tenerife) on 08/13/2011
★★★★★

Hi - I just wanted to share with you my 'cure' for melasma. My partner and I recently moved to Tenerife. I have very bad melasma on my upper lip and upper right arm. Since we moved here I have discovered the aloe vera leaf. I have been applying the gel from the leaf morning and night for the past week. The melasma on my upper lip has gone completely and the melasma on my upper arm has started to fade gradually and looks a 100% better than it did a week ago. I used to hide my arms but now I'm wearing short sleeved tops which I never, ever thought I'd wear again. You need the actual aloe vera leaf. Cut a slice off the leaf and slice it open to reveal the gel inside. Rub this on your melasma morning and night and it's really like a miracle the melasma fades gradually. I don't think aloe vera gel in a bottle will work alone as it's not pure aloe vera gel. The plant grows abundantly here on Tenerife but I'm told you can buy it in health food markets or online.. Good luck to you all.


Apple Cider Vinegar

12 User Reviews
5 star (7) 
  58%
4 star (3) 
  25%
3 star (1) 
  8%
(1) 
  8%

Posted by Bee (New York) on 08/19/2015
★★★★★

I had some melasma on my nose for a very long time so for awhile now I have been soaking the ACV or peroxide on cotton and leaving it on as long as I can............well I am so happy to report that the dead skin keeps peeling off and off .. It looks like it really had deep layers of skin to get off. (hard to explain) but the skin is getting lighter and lighter. It actually reminded me of a chemical peel.. Still have a way to go so will continue..

Thank you EC and everyone.........


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Katie (New Brunswick) on 07/01/2015
★★★★★

I started using ACV; raw, unpasteurized; with the "mother" in it; I suffered from very black melasma spotting over my lips and forehead; I used a skin bleaching cream; carefully; and was able to lighten it up enough that it wasn't so offensive....I can still see faint patches; it helped a lot; I used a neo strata product; and dabbed it lightly on the spots; I started using ACV recently; internally; although use a straw to protect your tooth enamel (diluted in water) and I drink raspberry smoothies regularly to help; you can use raw organic cocoa to protect and heal sundamage from within; good luck; I hate this stuff; I still haven't gotten rid of it completely.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ezzly (Dublin) on 06/01/2014
★★★★★

I have melasma on my upper lip from laser hair removal and around my eyes from plucking. At the moment I am trying 2 different things Apple Cider Vinegar and alternating with tumeric paste made from milk and tumeric. After less than a week I can start to see blotches where it's fading. Fingers crossed but it looks like it could work!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Esmesan23 (Watsonville, Ca, Usa) on 06/20/2013

Hello, I am really desperate! I want to get rid of my melasma because I'm getting married in 3 months. I tried ACV and all I am seeing is red blotches on top of the melasma. I am feeling very discouraged and don't know what to do. If anyone has tried ACV and got the same red blotches please let me know if this is normal. I don't know if I should continue with ACV or move on to something else. If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it!

Replied by Sam
(New York, Ny)
07/21/2013

Melasma: ACV is good to balance your skin's pH & to give it a nice fresh glow but I don't know about getting rid of darkness? You should go internal by taking Pycnogenol which has like 30 years of reasearch to back up its efficacy on many conditions, including melasma. It's expenisive but worth it because it minimizes the darkness and keeps it at bay. Pycnogenol makes a great internal sun blocker but still put sunblock on your face all the time.

There is also MSM which is great for many things, everyone should be taking that. Also, B3 which can be taken orally and applied topically. Pond's cream has a B3 cream that is affordable and works better than any department store product. Easy to find online, it's in a pink container, plus it doesn't stink that bad. There is also some stinky stuff for a couple of dollars that defiantly works wonders but it stinks and you must stay out of the sun, it's called La Campana (The Bell) you can buy it online, as well.

Vitamin A or Retinol/Retin-A works wonders, too, but must be bought from a doctor's prescription and it's around $70 bucks for a little tube but you only use a pea-size. You must use sunblock and stay out of the sun, as well, like the bell cream. It may have little effect on the dark stuff but it makes your skin look so fresh and glowy, like getting a microderm or other facial treatment without the astronomical costs associated with it.

Maintaining beauty does not have to cost a fortune. Actually, the best treatments for the skin are usually the cheaper ones, like ACV. I hope this helped out.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Zoya (India, West Bengal) on 06/30/2012
★★★☆☆

Hi there, Well I have been using Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in 1:1 ratio of water and Apple Cider Vinegar for a week. I also use flaxseed oil on my skin once in a day, my melasma on side of my cheeks has become lighter in colour but there is no peeling off the skin. I have read so much benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar on treating melasma and many people claiming complete removal of those dark patches.

Well my melasma is just a year old and its not very dark also but I dont see it going away. I will be continuing this mixture and lets hope for the best... Can anyone help me.... can I use Apple Cider Vinegar mixture during daytime? and what else can I do to treat my melasma asap.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Rin (Hk) on 11/29/2011
★★★★☆

Thank you very much for all the posts on this site..

I have melasma since 3 months ago, 3 WEEKS ago I across this site and started using Apple Cider Vinegar and taking antioxidant and MSM, and using cream called ''skin success fade cream''.. I see the difference now, it's faded. I'll post it again soon when they gone completely. Thanks a lot.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Imperialness76 (Orange Park, Florida, Usa) on 07/27/2011
★★★★★

I am happy to announce that after more than five years of suffering with melasma I am watching it quickly fade away. I came across this site, and tried ACV that same night. It burned a bit because I didn't realize I needed to mix half water and half apple cider vinegar. The next night I made the correct mixture. I have been putting it on my face every night before I go to sleep for six nights now.

My melasma is fading fast. I make sure to put sunscreen on every morning before going outside so I do not lose any of my progress. I am also planning on buying vitamins to fix it from the inside out. I will report back if it completely disappears. I want to add that I truly hope anyone who suffers with melasma tries apple cider vinegar and water. The Apple Cider Vinegar costs less than three dollars at your local grocery store, and is well worth it. Compared to the prescription creams and doctors visits it pales in comparison. Also, if it doesn't work on your melasma it can be used for other cures or you can eat it with salads etc. So it would not be a waste of money. :) Good luck to all.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Baby G (St.elizabeth, Jamaica) on 03/12/2011
★★★★☆

This is so awesome! I visited this site 3 nites ago and I already see results, its fading. I just hope it goes away completely. Can someone plz tell me how long it actually takes to clear up totally? I will continue to use and keep you posted with my results!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Wowchic (Kingston, Jamaica) on 03/10/2011
★★★★★

I read all the stories posted here 2 nites ago and already my melasma is fading. I do hope it goes away. Can someone tell me how long b4 I c complete results and do I have to use continuously?


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Finally (Charleston, Wv) on 12/12/2010
★★★★★

IF YOU WANT IT TO GO AWAY... APPLE CIDAR VINEGAR WORKS! I read a earlier post a while back about using ACV with a cotton ball, then a few weeks later, I read an article about natural skin care products found in your kitchen. It said if you cannot afford to get glycolic peels try ACV. I apply it directly to the spots with a Q-Tip twice a day, first thing in the morning and when I get home or before I go to bed. You will see the fastest results if you put it on before bed. My skin is aging so I do not put it on before bed every night. But always twice a day. I do not dilute it. I keep the bottle in my bathroom. I also exfolitate every couple days with lemon(natural bleaching power) and sugar. These two things alone, I can tell you, YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE in 2 WEEKS!!!! It is nearly 3 months, and you can "hardly" see it!! :)


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Crazydogjack (New Castle, Pa, Usa) on 07/21/2010
★★★★☆

Hello Everyone,

An update to my previous posts on my melasma condition. I was and still am using a product ____24. In addition I am still taking vitamins on a daily basis. Just recently my melasma came back with a vengeance. . . All my fault. I went on vacation to the beach and layed in the sun with sunscreen every day. I wanted a nice tan so badly. Well needless to say my melasma kicked in full gear. I came back to Earth Clinic for help. I tried the acv on my face in the evening before bedtime. This is only my second day and the spots are all fading! After I wash my face, I dip a cotton ball in water acv and put it all over my face. I cannot believe the improvement in just two days! Thanks Earth Clinic contributors! I will keep everyone posted on my progress.

Replied by Crazydogjack
(New Castle, Pa, Usa)
08/18/2010
★★★★★

This is in follow up to my post dated 7/21/10. Well I am happy to report that my melasma is gone. I also got rid of a little mole on my cheek. It only took 4 weeks to get rid of the melasma and only 1 week to get rid of the mole by using Apple Cider Vinegar on my face every evening before I went to bed. I still use the __ __ 24 cream during the day on my face as I am a big fan of this product. I also still take selenium, zinc and other vitamins that support thyroid function and hormonal imbalance since I believe this is why I ended up with melasma in the first place. My skin looks so nice now. Friends and relatives have noticed a huge difference and say I look younger and my skin looks radiant. I wish I would've know about the ACV 2 years ago when I went on my mission to get rid of this dreaded skin condition. I could've saved myself hundreds of dollars! The combination of the ACV daily wash and taking vitamins (healing from the inside out) that support healthy skin such as C and E are key. Best of luck to everyone!

Replied by Josee
(Trenton, Ontario)
11/14/2011

Wow! I must say, I've tried and tried everything to get rid of my melasma. ($$$) I'm so excited to go home and try ACV. And vitamins to fix me from the inside out. It starts out small then spreads no matter what you do. I feel positive that this may work. Will take pictures and will repost. PROMISE!!!


Apple Cider Vinegar, Cod Liver Oil, Alpha Lipoic Acid

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Devyn (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) on 08/21/2011
★★★★★

7 days ago, after reading some of the testimonies on this site I bought a bottle of _____'s unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar and started applying it twice a day in a 50/50 solution---half ACV, half tap water---to two stripey melasma marks on my cheeks. Those streaks (which were fairly large and looked like dirt) had been there a year and I was really starting to think they'd remain for the rest of my life, but they're practically gone aready! I'd also started taking Carlson's Cod Liver Oil, Alpha Lipoic Acid and NAC the same day, not to mention the cilantro/chlorella combination someone talked about, so it's hard to say which had the greatest effect really, but I'm assuming it was the apple cider vinegar. (My skin is already about twice as soft and smooth as it was a week ago too, and I've gotten several compliments on how healthy I apparently look... this was probably a combination of all the supplements taken).

Thank you so much for this site, I'll definitely be back regularly in the future!


Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Melasma Sufferer (Whangarei, New Zealand) on 10/22/2011
★★★★★

I have been trying the suggested treatment of an equal mix of lemon juice and cider vinegar every night and morning and I want to say thank you very much for posting that cure! I have had melasma for a long time now, and living in NZ it is almost impossible to avoid UV rays as we have such extreme levels. After 2 weeks, I looked in the mirror and I can hardly believe the difference. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Replied by Saadia
(Maryland)
01/06/2014

Hi, I read some useful information about melasma on your website. There is a list of things to use such as ACV, cilantro, lemon juice, etc but it does not exactly specify how to use it. Drink or put on the skin. I have melasma from about a year which is rapidly increasing from last 4 months. please help me do the right thing. Saadia

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee, Usa)
01/06/2014

Dear Saadia,

The Apple Cider Vinegar can be used externally and internally. Use raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar from the health food store. (Some larger grocery stores may have it also.) Mix 1/2 vinegar with 1/2 water in a jar and apply with a cottonball a couple of times a day. If it irritates your skin, dilute it with more water.

Start with 1 teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar in an 8 ounce glass of water once a day. If that agrees with you, you can increase to 2 teaspoons and then to 3 teaspoons. You can drink this twice a day even, if you like. I prefer my vinegar water to plain water after using it a lot.

Birth control pills (and probably other hormonal birth control methods) can cause this or aggravate this condition.

Please keep us posted. If this doesn't work, there are other things you can try.

~Mama to Many~


Apple Cider Vinegar, Onion Juice

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Lisa (San Jose, California, Usa) on 01/10/2012
★★★★★

A commercial cosmetic product helped erase maybe 50-60% of my melasma. The rest wasn't responding to the commercial product, so I tried MSM, which helped somewhat, but the rest wouldn't go away. GSE didn't seem to work much. Hydrogen Peroxide was starting to help, but then I read it is an oxidant, so forget the H2O2!

I have finally found something that works: A one part to one part solution of onion juice and ACV. I found the recipe on the internet: just put some onion in the blender (I used a garlic press) to get some juice going. Add an equal amount of ACV to the onion juice.

Every evening, I've been pouring about 1 - 2 teaspoons into a little dish and applied it to affected areas with a cotton swab repeatedly until the juice is used up. This takes 10 - 20 minutes. After several days, I used the vinegary onion pulp as a facial mask - left it on for about 20 minutes.

It's been maybe 4 weeks and most stubborn brown spots have faded really nicely. The onion juice apparently helps lift the darkened areas off - and it has vitamin C in it - which seems like an overall healthy thing to be putting on your skin. I bought my second onion a couple of days ago and am looking forward to even an even clearer complexion!



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