However, there are simple tips and tricks that you can do at home, which should help with most of the problems. The ingredients required for these packs and peels are things you will find in your kitchen cupboard or inclusion of some simple items in your regular routine, could make all the difference.

Water – If you want glowing skin that is clear and smooth, one of the easiest things for you to do is drink a lot of water. Ideally, you should drink about eight glasses of water each day, because the water will help flush away the toxins in the body and help maintain the natural hydration levels. If you have enough water in your body, the dark spots should start to fade away on their own.

Protect yourself again the sun – One of the biggest reasons for dark spots and blemishes is penetration of ultraviolet rays into the skin. As a matter of fact, too much exposure to sunlight could be the reason why you might develop a more serious skin condition known as melasma. This is why, no matter what the weather is outside, you need to make sure that you wear an SPF cream and wear clothing that will protect your skin.

Lemon juice – Lemon juice is nature’s bleaching agent, and because of the citric acid present in it, lemons are able to help clear skin of dark spots or blemishes quite easily. In addition, it can also help lighten skin tone, but if you have sensitive skin, make sure that you use lemon juice in a diluted form.

• Squeeze out the juice from one ripe lemon and use a cotton ball to apply the juice onto the dark spots. Let the juice rest on the dark spots for about 30 minutes, before you wash it off with cold water. This procedure should be repeated twice a day for about two months and you should start seeing the results.
• You can also combine lemon juice with some sugar that has been dissolved into it. This again, should be applied to the skin using clean cotton, left as is for about half an hour and then washed away with cold water. Results should start to become visible in about a month’s time.

Aloe vera – Aloe vera has been recognised as a wonder plant, and while it can help with burns and stings, it can also help reduce brown spots. In addition, aloe also acts as a natural hydrating mechanism for the skin.

• Consume two spoons of aloe vera juice, every morning, on an empty stomach and within weeks, you will start seeing your skin becoming clearer.
• If you are not willing to drink aloe vera juice, you could also rub fresh aloe vera gel or aloe oil onto the dark spots. After about 45 minutes, you can wash it off with cold water. This procedure should be repeated twice a day, for about a month, before you start seeing the results.

Yoghurt – Yoghurt as well as buttermilk have lactic acid, which is a great ingredient for your skin. While both these items should be consumed on a regular basis, if not daily, they can also be used for application on the skin.

• You can apply regular yoghurt or buttermilk directly onto the spots and wash it off with cold water, after about 20 minutes. To get faster results, you can apply yoghurt and leave it on overnight.
• Create your own face pack by mixing together one large spoon of plain yoghurt, double the amount of ground oatmeal and the juice from half a small lemon. Apply this pack to the affected area and leave it to dry. Rinse it off with cold water and apply your regular moisturiser.
• If you have oily skin you can add some lemon juice to the buttermilk, before applying it to the skin, but if you have dry or regular skin, you could add tomato juice to the buttermilk and apply the same to the affected areas.

Onions and potatoes – Potatoes and onions are normally always available in the kitchen and both these vegetables can help with dark spots and skin discoloration.

• Cut an onion into thick slices and rub the juice on age spots or dark spots and wash off after about 20 minutes. You can do the same with a potato too – just cut it into thick slices and apply the juice directly onto the skin, before washing it off with cold water, after about 15 minutes.
• Alternately, you could extract the onion or potato juice and combine it with a small amount of raw honey. Make sure you wash it off after 15 to 20 minutes, and to remove the strong smells, you could use a mild soap afterwards.

Sandalwood – Sandalwood has long been used as a perfume, but it is also a wonderful antiseptic and anti-aging agent. You can apply natural sandalwood paste to your dark spots or you can use it in homemade face packs and masks.

• Create a pack using sandalwood powder, rose water, glycerine and lemon juice. Apply this to affected areas and once dry, you can wash it off with warm water.
• Massage the affected areas with sandalwood oil, every night and then wash it off the next morning.

Papaya – The enzymes that are contained in papayas can help with the reduction and removal of dark spots. All you have to do is grate some raw papaya and then apply the same to the affected areas. After about 20 minutes, you can wash the papaya off with warm water.

Apple cider vinegar – You might have been using apple cider vinegar to dress your salads, but you might not have known that the same vinegar can be used to treat dark spots and blemishes.

• Take equal amounts of water and apple cider vinegar and mix in a little amount of honey. Apply this solution to the brown or dark spots and then wash it off in about 10 minutes.
• Mix a small spoon of apple cider vinegar with about four times the amount of orange juice. Apply this mix to the affected area and once dry, you can wash it.

At AK Clinics, we offer you a range of treatments, which will help you get rid of pigmentation, dark spots and skin blemishes the easy way. From chemical peels to skin polishing, microdermabrasion to laser treatment, we will be able to provide you with a treatment plan, that will be customised to your specific needs. Just walk into our clinic, have a chat and exam with our highly qualified and experienced doctors and within a few hours, you can walk out with skin that looks renewed and refreshed!