I have actually heard of some patients trying this and having results on very light, superficial pigmentation. By all means if you want to give it a try, I would suggest you apply it at night and wash your skin in the morning. I’m sure it will give your skin a nice “overall” glow for a while, but in terms of actually lightening pigmented areas, I am quite doubtful that you will see any significant difference. But with all things… as long as it’s safe and it’s not going to harm you, it cannot damage you to try and make your own conclusions.
Some people really swear by using this method for “home peeling.” Obviously there is no “protocol” for how to perform this… so if you really are keen to try it, I would say just work with your skin by responding to how you skin feels and reacts step by step. Obviously lemon juice, even though it is acidic, is very different from peel solutions that have been through various processes that concentrate them and stabilise them in laboritories, so it is not going to be anywhere near the strength of a proper peeling product. So by all means if you are really keen then go by how you feel. I am not a fan of patients performing actual peels at home, unfortunately, I have seen too many disaster cases! Having said that though, there are one or two products out there that make a “home peeling kit“, which is very carefully formulated and made at higher pH so as to risk the peel going too deep and causing problems for the patient… They do still have to be used with caution. One that I am familiar with and have seen few problems with, is the Nimue kit.
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39 comments
Lah
Interesting… I use a J&J night cream for about R20 (small purple tube) and it works wonders for lightening dark spots!!
Cornelli
I don’t think I’m gonna try this!
Tasha
Sounds a bit harsh…
Humphreys
I don’t think natural products can do that much harm can they?
the afro beauty
I tried using lemon juice on my face but I found it extremely drying and my skin was irritated and itchy. I don’t think lemon juice is suitable for use on the face – rather get a Vitamin C serum.
ABeauty
Hmm I think I would also pass. I also did the lemon in the hair trick to make it lighter :D
Sammy
Wouldn’t it dry the skin out? The only way to find out is to try it out.
Carlene
Mmmm, not sure if this is going onto my “to try” list. I do remember using lemon juice in my teens for hair ‘sun streaks’, but that’s about it.
me
Lemon juice is good to clean turmeric stains and onion smells from kitchen hands. Other than that for me I go with Dr. Maureen.
Moodley
I use lemon juice as a toner sometimes as I have really oily skin. It seems to help clear up my skin for a while.