Lemon is becoming a skincare trend nowadays. But is lemon really good for your skin? Lemons are known to contain a lot of citric acid, and vitamin C. The benefits of these fruits are posted everywhere, they are amazing to treat our skin and for detoxifying our body. However not everything is perfect, as everything has benefits and downsides.
Vitamin C
is amazing for pigmentation and does not cause irritation as other elements, also helps with the production of collagen, and has antioxidant properties.
Citric acid
in the form of Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) is good for exfoliation, and Niacin (B3 Vitamin) works as an anti-inflammatory.
So yes, lemon could be great for your skin! But before you apply lemon on your face, there are few things you need to know.
BUT FIRST OF ALL
Remember to always do a patch test to check if your skin can tolerate any substance, especially if you are using it for the first time. You can do this by applying a small amount of it behind the ear and wait for few minutes, if you don’t notice any weird feeling or pain, you are good to go.
Do no use large amounts of lemon juice when you apply scrubs or cream containing lemon, especially if you are planning to leave it on for a large period.
After removing the mask or scrubs with lemon make sure you use SPF, never forget to wear it after any treatment with lemon, because if you don’t apply sunscreen, you take the risk of having pigmentation.
You can use it all the time, but make sure not to do it for long periods of time. It is recommended to stop using this ingredient as soon as you see your desired improvement.
Where can i apply the lemon?
There are hundreds of ways to apply the lemon, you can find all the combinations online, remember you cannot apply directly because this can cause more damage than benefits. Here are some areas of your body where you can use it.
- Face
- Elbows and Knees
- Teeth
- Nails
- Hair
Benefits of using lemon
- Lemon has antimicrobial and antifungal effects: can help with conditions like acne, candidiasis, and seborrheic dermatitis.
- Can work as astringent and will remove the excess oil on your skin and the Alfa Hydroxy Acid (AHA) can remove the dead skin and can get rid of blackheads as well.
- Works as an antioxidant, the vitamin C prevents free radicals damage on your skin
- Increases collagen production
- Can make your skin or hair lighter, works on acne scars and pigmentations.
Downsides of lemon on your skin
- As you are using fruit acid, you can have skin irritation because of the acidity of lemon. If you have a sensitive skin be careful when applying, as this can cause dryness and redness. In fact, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to not apply lemon on your skin.
- If you use lemon, and then get exposed to direct sunlight, you get a higher risk of getting pigmentations and even sunburn.
- Inflammatory reactions are common side effect of citric fruits. This translates to redness and swelling, and in worst case scenario, blisters.
