Fruit for Your Skin
Working in the natural treatment market, I’ve researched a number of natural treatments with real science backing up their claims, but there is also good reason to have a healthy degree of skepticism when you hear about some new natural solution for a disease or ailment. The acne market is particularly crazy, since acne sufferers can often get desperate enough to try applying all kinds of strange substances to their skin, which they then post about on internet message boards. As such, when I was recently reading about people smearing fruit on their faces, I tended to naturally dismiss the claims. However, after a bit more research, it turns out there is some science behind the fruit smearing after all.
The fact is that certain fruits can indeed help repair the appearance of your skin when applied directly. This is particularly true for citrus fruits that are high in vitamin C, such as lemons, pineapples and oranges. A strong concentration of the juice from these fruits is especially effective at diminishing the appearance of acne scars - best applied either directly from the fruit, or with a cotton swab in the case of lemons (which are the most highly acidic). The vitamin C in these fruits has a lightening effect on your skin, and can lighten the darkened patches from acne scars and help even your skin tone. The fruit needs to be applied for about 10-15 minutes to take effect.
These unorthodox methods can sometimes be effective after all, but also keep in mind that acidic citrus fruits can make your skin especially photosensitive. Therefore, after treating your acne scars with something such as lemon juice, it’s a good idea to follow with a moisturizer that includes SPF-15 sunscreen in order not to expose your skin to excess UV radiation. Either that or simply stick to using a treatment such as this only before bed.
