Do you have white spots on your skin? Here’s what they are and how to treat them!

Have you noticed white spots on your skin? You may have one of these ailments. Luckily, there are easy home remedies for them all!

Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation

Defined white spots with irregular outlines may be a sign of post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. This condition sometimes follows inflammatory skin reactions like thermal burs and discoid lupus. It can also occur after laser therapy.

To treat post-inflammatory hypopigmentation at home, apply slices of fresh ginger to white patches. Hold the ginger in place using a bandage and let the ginger seep into the skin overnight. Home remedy may take up to six months, but the results are worth it.

Eczema

According to the National Eczema Association, eczema is a common skin condition that manifests as an itchy rash. Eczema can be red and inflamed, rough and scaly, or oozy and crusty. Sometimes, eczema results in white scars.

Applying honey to eczema scars everyday after washing. If your skin responds well to exfoliating treatments, you can make your own scrub using honey and crystallized sugar.

Vitiligo

Vitilgo is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the cells that make pigment and is responsible for skin color. If you have smooth white patches around the mouth and eyes or on the back of your hands, you may have vitilgo. People with diabetes, pernicious anemia, thyroid disease, or Addison’s disease are more likely to have vitilgo.

One home remedy for vitilgo is tumeric and mustard oil paste. Medindia recommends mixing 5 teaspoons of powdered turmeric with 250 mL (8.5 oz) of mustard oil. Apply the past twice daily to the affected area.

Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH)

Flat, white spots on the shins and forearms are a symptom of IGH. These tear-drop shaped spots are usually smooth, but can sometimes be scaly. Most common in fair-skinned women over the age of 40 and are an inevitable part of the aging process.

To prevent IGH and reduce the appearance of white spots, it is imperative to always use sun protection. Even if it is a cloudy day without a ray of light in sight, slather on a layer of sunscreen to protect the skin.

Pityriasis Alba

A condition most common in children, pityriasis alba shows up as uneven, round patches on the face, neck, upper trunk, and upper arms after sun exposure. These patches are typically dry and have very fine scales.

A great home remedy for pityriasis alba is to simply moisturize the patches with a good lotion everyday and again after showering or swimming. Using buttermilk, olive oil, or coconut oil as a natural and non-irritating moisturizer.

Lichen sclerosus

Lichen sclerosus begins as shiny, smooth white spots and later develops into bigger patches of thin and crinkled skin. This condition is most common in post-menopausal women and may be caused by changes in hormones or an overactive immune system, explains the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Add 1 tablespoon borax powder and 1 tablespoon baking powder to a bath to soak and sooth. Be sure to stay in the tub for at least 20 minutes.