How To Remove Dry And Dark Skin On Your Neck In 20 Minutes

Written by Chandrama Deshmukh  • 

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely a little insecure about the skin on my neck. Especially the part from the nape to the base of the throat. Like a natural little black choker. Do you have the same concern?

When we go to try on the latest BB Cream or Foundation at our favorite department store, we wonder why nobody ever tests it on that dark patch. Isn’t that where we need the most concealing with the help of our preferred makeup products?

We did some digging around the internet for you (you’re welcome!) to understand why this might be, and what we can do about it.

The darkening of the skin on the neck could be due to a lot of reasons. Sun exposure could be one of the main reasons, but it could also be due to a specific health concern such as insulin resistance.

Image: Shutterstock

Prolonged exposure to the sun coupled with poor personal hygiene regimens could certainly be the reason behind the darkening of the neck on your skin. This can be easily treated. However, some may have darker skin on their necks due to health concerns or specific medications.

For example, Acanthosis nigricans is a medical problem caused by the release of too much insulin into the bloodstream, or a condition more popular known as insulin resistance. The rapid rise of insulin leads to normal skin cells reproducing faster than their usual pace, resulting in dark patches of skin (1). People who suffer from this would also observe darker skin on their underarms and other areas such as the groin and upper lips. Known as a pre-diabetic condition, this darkening of the skin can be gradually restored to normal skin color when the person is treated for insulin resistance.

But for those of us who have just been negligent with sunscreens, here are some easy remedies to gradually lighten those patches on your neck.

  • Steaming
Image: Shutterstock

Many of us are used to getting regular facials done. Remember that slightly uncomfortable bit where they steam your face before blackhead removal? Apparently, the same steaming process can also help lighten the patches on your neck when combined with some of the other easy remedies we are going to tell you about.

Steaming helps unclog the top layer of your skin and softens the stubborn dirt that stays behind even after your daily cleansing routine.

  • Exfoliating
Image: Shutterstock

A build-up of dead cells can also make the skin look darker than normal. Having loosened the stubborn dirt on your neck and prepped the skin through steaming, your skin is now ready to be scrubbed clean. You can use any of the physical exfoliants available in the market, or use DIY ones like oats and yogurt paste. Oats is a great exfoliant for those with sensitive skin and does the job as effectively as commercial scrubs. The lactic acid in yogurt will help lighten the skin at the same time. As a variant, you could use some tomato juice with the oats to help lighten the skin. You can grind the oats coarsely in your mixer grinder to give you easier flakes to work with.

  • Masking

We know that this is beginning to sound like a facial, but why not? Why do our necks deserve any less? Try this easy mask – the ingredients of which are available in everyone’s homes. Mix 4 spoons of cold milk and ½ spoon each of lemon juice and turmeric. This potent combination will brighten the area almost instantly. The lactic acid in the milk will work to brighten the skin and complement the antibacterial properties of turmeric and the naturally occurring vitamin C in the lemon juice. The lemon juice will tighten, brighten, and firm up that area of your skin.

You can easily use this pack once a week at least. Just mix the ingredients, apply it on the area, and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.

If you are feeling a bit fancy and want to spend more time on masking, you could add gram flour (besan) to these ingredients and make a thicker mask. You could then make a Friday night of it, and apply it to from your forehead to your décolleté.

Make sure to moisturize after all these steps, though! You have worked long enough on your skin to take away the natural moisture barriers, and now, you need to replenish. Just keeping the area dry and cleansing it will not help it lighten it; moisturizing it is also essential. If you don’t feel like using a heavy moisturizer, you could spray the area with rose water to soothe and refresh your skin and top it with some aloe vera gel. Both the rose water and aloe vera gel will not only moisturize and make your skin smell great but also calm any irritation from the scrubbing and masking.

Getting rid of dull, dry, and dark neck skin is easy. No matter how pretty your face looks, the neck requires equal attention. So go on, try these magic remedies and flaunt that beautiful neckline.

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