Lemon juice, turmeric, aloe vera gel, oatmeal, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, liquorice root, castor oil, oatmeal honey mask and soy milk are some of the simple home remedies for Melasma treatment during pregnancy.

What is Melasma?

Melasma also referred to as chloasma is a common condition where there is hyper pigmentation of the skin causing appearance of brown patches. Melasma during pregnancy is quite common, affecting 50-70% of pregnant females and it usually fades away after pregnancy, so it’s not a major issue to worry about.

It is also referred to as ‘the mask of pregnancy’ as the patches typically show up around your upper lip, nose, cheekbones, and forehead in the shape of a mask. It also occurs on those parts of the skin usually exposed to sunlight, those that are already more pigmented than the rest and also those parts of the skin experiencing friction such as inner thighs and underarms.

What are the causes for Melasma?

Melasma usually occurs due to the hormonal imbalance. If your hormones were already out of balance then during pregnancy it only further aggravates the Melasma.

Another cause is that there will be increased production of melanin by melanocytes due to exposure to sunlight and this act as a factor to Melasma.

11 Natural Ways for Melasma Treatment During Pregnancy

Here are some safe and simple home remedies for you to treat Melasma:

Lemon Juice

Lemon Juice helps to lighten the hyper pigmented skin.

• Extract juice from one fresh lemon.
• Apply it on the affected areas.
• Leave it for at least 20 min and then rinse it off.
• You can also mix ½ lemon juice and ½ hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spray it on the affected skin a few times a day. You can also replace hydrogen peroxide with cucumber juice.

Read More: Health Benefits of Lemon for Babies

Turmeric

Turmeric does not just have antibacterial, antioxidant properties but it also has a good bleaching affect. You can try out the following remedy-

• Mix five tablespoons of turmeric powder with 10 tablespoons of milk to make a fine paste.
• Add one tablespoon of gram flour to this to thicken the mixture.
• Apply it on the affected areas and leave it for 20 min.
• Rinse it off with warm water and dry it with a towel.
• You can repeat this once a day.

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera gel contains Aloin which is believed to be an active ingredient against melanin aggravating affects and helps to lighten the skin.

• Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf.
• Apply it on the affected area and gently massage for a min or two.
• Leave it for 20 min.
• Rinse it off with lukewarm water.
• Repeat this twice a day for a week.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a natural exfoliating agent that instead of lightening the s kin helps to get rid of the dead skin cells to make way for new, lighter skin cells.

• Mix two tablespoons of oatmeal powder, two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon of honey.
• Apply it on the affected area.
• Wait for 20 minutes and rinse it off with water.
• Repeat this twice or thrice a week for a month.

Read More: Must Know Health Benefits of Oatmeal In Your Baby’s Diet

Yogurt

Yogurt contains lactic acid which is a safe and effective agent for treating Melasma.

• Mix a pinch of turmeric powder in two teaspoons of yogurt.
• Apply it on the skin and leave it for 30 min.
• Rinse it off with water.
• Repeat this twice a day for few weeks.

Read More: Health Benefits of Yogurt for Babies

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar toner is quite effective for lightening the affected areas.

• Mix ½ apple cider vinegar and ½ water to create an ACV toner.
• Apply it on the affected areas.

Horseradish milk

Horseradish milk is effective in lightening the dark spots.

• Take few inches of horseradish root and blend it with ½ cup of water.
• Then strain the mixture into a glass.
• Mix two tablespoons of horseradish juice with two tablespoons of raw milk.
• Splash it on the face ten min before showering or washing.

Liquorice root

Liquorice root in oil contains glabridin which helps to prevent the overproduction of freckles.

• Mix one teaspoon of liquorice root extract and one tablespoon of castor oil.
• Apply it on the face for one hour.
• Wipe it off with a towel. You can either leave it on as castor oil provides good moisturising effect or you wash it off with water.

Read More: Health Benefits of Liquorice Root For Kids and Nursing Mothers

Soy milk

Soy milk has shown to have affects by inhibiting pigmentation as per certain studies.

• Soak a cotton pad in soy milk and dab it on your face.
• Leave if for an hour and then wash it off.
• Repeat this twice a day for two weeks.

Read More: Can Soy Milk Substitute Cow’s Milk for Your Child?

Castor Oil

Castor oil helps in lightening the skin effectively.

• Soak a cotton ball in castor oil.
• Apply it on the affected area.
• For best results, leave it overnight.

Oatmeal Honey Mask

Oatmeal honey mask contains special enzymes that can break down the pigment.

• Mix cooked oatmeal with raw honey. Make sure that oatmeal is not hot, it can be warm.
• Apply on the skin and leave it for ten min.
• Rinse it off.

Preventive measures for Melasma

Melasma disappears after a few months after the delivery and is not a serious condition to worry about. But you still can take certain preventive measures on your own:

• Use sun protection – you know that sunlight increases melatonin production and this aggravates Melasma. Use a broad-spectrum sunblock, that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with SPF 30 or higher even when it’s not sunny. You can also wear wide-brimmed hats and long sleeved shirts if you notice hyper pigmentation on the skin of arms.. Limit the time you spend in the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Avoid tanning salons.
• Don’t wax – It can cause skin inflammation that only worsens Melasma.
• Use hypoallergenic skin care products otherwise they may irritate your skin and worsen Melasma.
• Don’t use skin-bleaching products while you’re pregnant.
• Eat a balanced and healthy diet– Your body needs proper nutrition to nourish your baby and also produce the required hormones. In your diet include quality nutrition from grass-fed and pastured animals, eggs, healthy fats like coconut oil, pastured butter, and organic vegetables and fruits. Your body needs both saturated and monounsaturated fats to produce hormones. Also, avoid refined sugar entirely and limit your consumption of natural sugars.
• Avoid toxins such as cleaning supplies, beauty products, furniture, plastic, and toxins in pesticides as they can mimic hormones in the body and causing hormonal imbalance.
• Get sufficient good quality sleep – Sleep is the time for hormones to rebalance and provide the required rest for the body. Go to bed at 10 pm and switch off all the lights. Avoid use of electronics for at least two hours before bed time as the blue light interferes with your sleep pattern.
• Keep a watch on your copper levels – increase in copper increases oestrogen levels and vice-versa. You can get a blood test or hair mineral analysis done to know your body copper levels and act accordingly to keep it in check.
• Rest adequately and don’t stress as this stresses your adrenals. When you are stressed copper is built up and zinc is depleted causing oestrogen levels to rise. You need to have mental, physical, spiritual and emotional peace when you are planning to get pregnant.

Conclusion

Melasma is the hyper pigmentation of the skin which commonly occurs during pregnancy and usually fades away after a few months after the delivery. Certain preventive measures can be taken to prevent Melasma such as using a sunblock, maintaining a healthy balanced diet, getting proper sleep, etc. Certain hone remedies can be used to treat Melasma such as lemon juice, oatmeal, vinegar, yogurt, soy milk, horseradish milk, castor oil, turmeric powder, etc.

References

https://india.curejoy.com/content/home-remedies-for-melasma/

https://www.mamanatural.com/pregnancy-mask/