Lemon Lightens the Skin. Written by Rachelle Dupree, marketing and communications director for Vivoderm Natural Skincare for Dermascope Magazine – June 2017. Print and Online (© 2017) https://www.dermascope.com/fact-or-fiction/lemon-lightens-the-skin Fact or Fiction: Lemon Lightens the Skin. Fresh lemon juice has been known for decades as a household remedy for lightening the skin. Many clients may be wondering, however, if it truly works. The basic answer is yes, but the lightening process does take time. When it comes to hyperpigmentation, though, experience has proven that it is not as permanent a solution as laser treatments or stronger peels. In comparison, hydroquinone, which was once touted as the preferred skin lightener, has now been shown to promote cytotoxicity and irritation that can actually increase dark spots and discoloration over time. Old beauty regimens recommended rubbing whole lemons on rough, dark elbows and using lemon juice as a type of toner on a daily basis to combat age spots. These regimens did work if the person performing them did not mind the stinging and burning from rubbing lemons directly onto the skin too often. HOW IT WORKS Lemon juice derived directly from real lemons, not the processed versions often found in bottles, can be used as an effective skin bleaching ingredient. Lemons typically contain between five and eight percent citric acid and have a pH of around 2.3, making them highly acidic. These high levels of ascorbic acid are also known as vitamin C. Natural aging, excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, and daily pollution can all cause a decline in vitamin C content in the dermis. Using lemon juice as a natural treatment can pack a triple punch of exfoliating, stimulating collagen, and reducing melanin production. The production of melanin is the skin’s response to protecting itself from sun damage. When people overindulge in sunbathing or forget to wear sun protection, the melanin production produced by the enzyme tyrosinase goes into overdrive, producing dark patches, sun spots, and other forms of hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a natural exfoliant that can help lighten the skin and improve skin tone. The epidermis is exfoliated by the acid, gently sloughing old skin cells, including cells with dark pigmentation. Topically applying lemon juice, or vitamin C, will show mild skin-lightening effects caused by reductions in melanin production and melanin oxidation. Vitamin C also acts as a powerful antioxidant that can stimulate the production of skin collagen and protect…
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