Using Citrus Fruits to Fight Age Spots

In the comments of this blog post on the ongoing case study on skin lightening, I got an interesting question from Foster. She wanted to know more about how test person 'C' had been experimenting with citrus fruits as a 'kitchen remedy' skin lightener.

I asked, and here is the answer.

Thanks to Ole Henriksen For the Inspiration

"It started when I heard Ole Henriksen on the radio last time he was in Denmark. He recommended mixing fresh lemon juice and strong chamomile tea in a ratio of 50/50 and applying that to the skin morning and evening."

But that's not what she did.

"I made a mental note of it but never got around to making the mixture (but really still intend to try it). Instead, I started rubbing the backs of my hands with freshly cut lemon every time I used some (about 2-3 times a week). I leave the juice to dry on the back of my hands. I'm usually working with lemon or lime while making a meal, so I'll just leave it on while I eat. It gets naturally rinsed off as soon as I'm rinsing and cleaning up after the meal. That's it. Oh, and then there's the sun thing."

The Sun Thing

'C' is vigilant "to the point of being fanatic" about keeping her hands out of direct sun. This may seem like a minor thing, but, as she says, "you just try doing it for one day and you'll be shocked at how much sun exposure your hands get."

I did. She's right.

Here are 'C's hiding-hands-from-the-sun tips

• pull long sleeves down to cover the backs of your hands when outside
• keep hands in pockets or in 'the shade of yourself' 
• wear gloves  

As a bonafide fan of gloves, I'm all for that final point. Let's bring back the glove-wearing elegance from days gone by while protecting our hands from miscolorations and age spots - that's gotta be win win.