How To Get Rid Of Dark Spots On Your Hands?

Written by Kushneet Kukreja, MS (Biotechnology)  • 

From formal handshakes with the boss to holding hands with our significant other, we use our hands frequently. But when it comes to skincare, we tend to focus more on our face neglecting our hands more often than not. It is imperative for you to take care of this part of your body as well, to prevent damage to that skin.

Just like the skin on our face, the skin on our hands too needs to be taken care of. There are many factors in our surroundings that can damage this skin and cause dark spots. These spots might look stubborn but can be gotten rid off with effective home treatments on a regular basis.

Let us look into the causes behind these dark spots first and then we shall discuss the home remedies you can use.

What Causes Dark Spots On Hands?

  • UV rays from the Sun
  • Pollution
  • Irritants in bath and body products
  • Skin injury
  • Burns
  • Pimples
  • Skin diseases like chicken pox
  • Spots during pregnancy due to melasma
  • Deficiency of vitamin B12
  • Iron deficiency

Among all the causes, the Sun’s damaging rays are the most significant reasons for these hyperpigmented spots. This is because these rays easily cause excess production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin its color. Protecting your skin with a good moisturizer and sunscreen is essential. For existing spots, use any of the remedies given below.

How To Get Rid Of Dark Spots On Hands

  1. Castor Oil
  2. Lemon Juice
  3. Sandalwood, Glycerin, And Lemon Recipe
  4. Gram Flour Scrub
  5. Honey
  6. Potato And Onion Paste
  7. Cucumber Juice And Lemon Mix
  8. Aloe Vera Gel
  9. Vitamin E Capsules

Home Remedies For Dark Spots On Hands

1. Castor Oil For Dark Spots On Hands

1. Castor Oil For Dark Spots On Hands
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

2-3 drops castor oil

What You Have To Do

  • Wash your hands with soap and water, and pat them dry.
  • Apply castor oil on the affected skin and massage it in until it gets absorbed.
  • Leave the oil on overnight.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this every night before going to bed.

Why This Works

Castor oil cleanses the pores and conditions the skin. Its antioxidants repair the damage caused by free radicals and also rejuvenate the skin. It can lighten the dark spots that have formed on your hands as well (1, 2).

2. Lemon Juice For Dark Spots On Hands

2. Lemon Juice For Dark Spots On Hands
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

A lemon

What You Have To Do

  1. Cut the lemon and squeeze out some fresh lemon juice.
  2. Apply this directly on the spots and leave it on for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Rinse it off with water.

For sensitive skin, dilute the lemon juice with some water.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this once or twice a day.

Why This Works

The bleaching properties of lemon juice are often used to lighten spots and remove skin tan. The acids present in this juice is responsible for this skin lightening property (3).

3. Sandalwood, Glycerin And Lemon Recipe

3. Sandalwood, Glycerin And Lemon Recipe
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder
  • 3-4 drops glycerin
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix the glycerin and lemon juice with sandalwood to get a smooth paste.
  2. Apply this as a skin pack on the affected area.
  3. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off with water.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily.

Why This Works

Sandalwood is known to brighten up the skin tone and also soothe the damaged skin (4). When it is used for dark spots on the hands, it works well to lighten and slowly fade them away. The glycerin in this remedy acts as an emollient (5).

[ Read: Homemade Scrub For Hands ]

4. Gram Flour Scrub

4. Gram Flour Scrub
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 2 teaspoons gram flour
  • A pinch of turmeric
  • Rose water OR milk

What You Have To Do

  1. Firstly, mix the gram flour with the turmeric powder.
  2. Now, add some rose water to get a smooth paste.
  3. Apply this on the hands and let it dry for 15 minutes.
  4. Wet your fingertips and slowly scrub the pack off using a circular motion.
  5. Rinse off the remainders of the skin pack with water.
  6. Pat the skin dry and apply a moisturizer.

How Often You Should Do This

Use this scrub every alternate day until the dark spots fade away.

Why This Works

Gram flour is a wonderful skin exfoliant that also works well for removing dark spots from your skin (6). Your skin will feel smoother and brighter after using this remedy.

5. Honey

5. Honey
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

Raw honey

What You Have To Do

  1. Take a few drops of honey and massage the affected skin with it for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Keep the honey on your hand for 10 more minutes.
  3. Rinse it off with tepid water.

How Often You Should Do This

Apply honey once or twice every day on your dark spots.

Why This Works

No matter what the reason is behind the dark spots on your hands, honey can treat it. It has antimicrobial properties, so acne spots are taken care of. It contains antioxidants so spots caused by sun damage can be lightened. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can help remove spots caused due to skin conditions. To add to all this, honey can nourish and moisturize your skin really well to make it smooth and supple (7). Honey is a versatile ingredient for sure!

6. Potato And Onion Paste

6. Potato And Onion Paste
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1/2 potato
  • 1/2 onion

What You Have To Do

  1. Cut the raw potato and onion into small pieces and blend to get a thick paste.
  2. Apply this on the hands and leave it to dry for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Wash it off with plain water and moisturize your skin

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this once every day, and you will see the dark spots fade away in just a couple of days.

Why This Works

Both potato and onion act as natural bleaching agents and can fade away your dark spots. The flavonoids of onion have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (8, 9). Your skin issues will also be treated while the dark spots are being lightened by the skin pack.

[ Read: Hand Beauty Tips ]

7. Cucumber Juice And Lemon Mix

7. Cucumber Juice And Lemon Mix
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1-2 teaspoons cucumber juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix the two juices together and apply on the affected skin.
  2. Let this blend sit on your hands for about 10 minutes.
  3. Rinse it off with water.

How Often You Should Do This

It helps to follow this once a day. But for quick results, repeat twice a day.

Why This Works

Lemon juice can be used by itself or in conjunction with cucumber juice to lighten dark spots. Its bleaching properties combine with that of cucumber to get rid of the spots faster. Cucumber also soothes and hydrates the skin leaving it supple and glowing (10).

8. Aloe Vera Gel

8. Aloe Vera Gel
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

An aloe leaf

What You Have To Do

  1. Transfer the gel present in the leaf into a container.
  2. Apply some of this on the hands and massage it in.
  3. Leave it on overnight.

Store the remaining gel in a cool place. This can be used for a week or so, hence only extract enough gel to last you a week.

How Often You Should Do This

Apply this every night.

Why This Works

Aloe vera is a magical plant with a host of skincare benefits. It will also help to make your skin supple, improve the skin texture, and make your skin flawless. Its antioxidants repair the skin damage, and its healing properties get rid of spots and scars. The mucopolysaccharides present in aloe gel moisturize the skin and also improve the skin’s elasticity. It also has anti-acne effects on the skin (11).

9. Vitamin E Capsules

9. Vitamin E Capsules
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

1 vitamin E capsule

What You Have To Do

  1. Prick the capsule and carefully pour the oil present inside onto the affected skin.
  2. Massage the skin with this oil for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Leave the oil on overnight.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this every night. If you are staying indoors, you can repeat this during the day as well.

Why This Works

Vitamin E capsules are very useful for reducing dark spots and patches. It inhibits the enzyme that causes skin pigmentation. It is also a humectant and keeps your skin hydrated (12).

Now that you know how to get rid of dark spots on hands naturally, what are you waiting for? It’s time you give these remedies a try. Treating your skin for dark spots requires some amount of time, so patience is the key when it comes to such treatments. Use them regularly, and you will soon see results for sure. It is important to keep continuing to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, and protect the skin on your hands even after the dark spots are gone. Keep this in mind – never step outside the house without sunscreen on your hands!

Love your hands as much as your face and care for them the same. Have a wonderful day!

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