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How to Get Rid of Dark Neck: Home Remedies And Prevention Tips
Don't let neck hyperpigmentation lower your confidence. Learn how to get rid of dark neck with simple and effective at-home strategies.
Bright face and dark neck - doesn't sound like a good combination, right? Just like you treat your facial skin with the goodness of cleansers, scrubs, masks, and moisturizers, you need to do the same for your neck for a flawless look. From health conditions to environmental stressors, there can be various factors that lead to the development of a dark neck. But if you know how to get rid of dark neck, you can easily treat it with easy and effective remedies at home.
There are various herbs and natural ingredients that can improve the complexion of your neck. However, before we unravel the various tips for dark neck treatment, let's understand the causes and symptoms of the condition.
What Are the Causes of Dark Neck?
When the skin on your neck is noticeably darker than your facial skin, it's known as a "dark neck" or "black neck." Usually, a dark neck is not a cause of serious concern, but in a few cases, darkening of the skin may mean something serious. Hence, it’s better to consult a doctor and get treated accordingly. Below are some of the most common causes of dark neck:
1. Acanthosis Nigricans
Acanthosis Nigricans is a skin condition characterized by darkening and thickening of the skin that often appears in skin fold areas, including the neck, groin, and armpits. While not harmful or contagious by itself, acanthosis nigricans can be caused due to underlying health conditions such as obesity, hormonal disorders, insulin-resistant diabetes, thyroid problems, PCOD, etc., and hence, should not be ignored (1).
2. Dermatitis Neglecta
This skin condition offer occurs as a result of not cleansing your skin thoroughly. When skin is not washed properly, a lot of dirt, bacteria, and sebum get accumulated, resulting in dermatitis neglecta. This skin ailment can easily be prevented by following proper hygiene rules (2).
3. Drug-induced Hyperpigmentation
This is a condition that makes our skin appear darker due to the intake of drugs. There are a few drugs, such as analgesics, antimicrobials, anticoagulants, metals, etc., that can cause this condition, leading to a darker neck (3).
4. Chemical Based Cosmetic Products
Using products laden with harsh chemicals can also make your neck appear darker. According to a study, the usage of hair dyes may lead to pigmentation of the face and neck (4).
5. UV Damage
Too much exposure of the skin to sun rays can damage your skin. It causes hyperpigmentation and can make your skin look darker (5). It's essential to prevent our skin from UV damage and keep problems like hyperpigmentation, sun tan, and photoaging at bay (6).
6. Fungal Infections
A fungal infection known as Tinea versicolor can cause dark patches on the chest, arms, back, or neck. These patches are also sometimes itchy and look as if there is too much tan on the skin (7).
Apart from darkening of the skin on the neck, a black neck is accompanied by various symptoms explained below.
Symptoms of Dark Neck
Below are a few signs and symptoms of a dark neck you should look out for:
- Thick skin
- Itchy skin
- Dark patches on your neck
- Velvety feeling when you touch the neck
Now that you have understood all about the causes and symptoms of a dark neck, let's take a close look at how to get rid of dark neck.
How to Get Rid of Dark Neck: 5 Home Remedies to Try
Dark neck is truly a bane for many! But, natural ingredients like aloe vera, almond oil, tomatoes, and green tea can help you achieve even-toned skin and make the skin in neck region appear lighter.
Caution: Do a patch test on your elbow to see how your skin reacts to the remedy before trying any of the below-mentioned packs.
1. Gram Flour And Tomato Pack
Ingredients to Be Used:
- 1 small ripe tomato
- 1 tablespoon of gram flour
How to Prepare
Cut a ripe tomato into thin slices and blend it. Add gram flour to tomato puree and mix well. Apply this on your neck, and rinse it off after 20 to 25 minutes.
Benefits
Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C, folate, lycopene, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants. These nutrients help reduce skin damage from UV rays and treat photoaging and pigmentation (8). According to a study, tomato and lycopene supplements can help reduce UV-induced skin damage and improve the symptoms of hyperpigmentation (9).
Gram flour is widely used in herbal packs to lighten skin tone and smoothen the skin (10).
2. Aloe Vera And Green Tea Pack
Ingredients to Be Used:
- 1 cup of brewed green tea
- 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
How to Prepare
Take a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add a teaspoon of green tea leaves or a tea bag in it. Steep for 30 seconds, then strain it. Allow it to cool, then add aloe vera gel to it. Slather it gently on your neck and leave it on your skin for half an hour. Wash it off using lukewarm water and then apply a moisturizer.
Benefits
Aloe vera is packed with aloesin, a flavonoid that suppresses the symptoms of hyperpigmentation, leaving you with brighter skin (11). A study claimed that the aloesin content of aloe vera is effective enough to inhibit enzymes, including tyrosinase and tyrosine hydroxylase, which are responsible for skin pigmentation (12).
Green tea is a refreshing beverage rich in plant polyphenols, a category of compounds that may be beneficial in the treatment of UV-damaged skin. Being rich in polyphenols, green tea forms a protective layer on the skin and safeguard it against harmful sun rays, leaving you with brighter and softer skin (13, 14).
3. Potato, Turmeric, And Sandalwood Mask
Ingredients to Be Used:
- 1/2 potato
- 1/2 carrot
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of sandalwood powder
How to Prepare
Wash a potato and carrot properly, peel them, and chop them into thin slices. Blend both of them to get their puree. Mix turmeric and sandalwood to the prepared potato-carrot pulp and apply this all over your neck. Keep it on your skin for about 15 minutes, then wash it off using lukewarm water.
Benefits
Being rich in vitamin C and healthy enzymes, potatoes may help you get brighter and even-toned skin (15). Vitamin C is a powerful depigmentation agent that soothes the skin and keeps it soft and glowing (16).
Carrots too are laden with vitamin C, which helps reduce the symptoms of dark skin (17). According to a study, dietary carrot extracts may be beneficial in treating the symptoms of hyperpigmentation (18).
The active component in turmeric — curcumin — may help in the treatment of various skin problems including acne, photoaging, dermatitis, and so on (19). A recent study claimed that the antioxidant properties of turmeric may be effective in the treatment of hyperpigmentation and improve the symptoms of fine lines and wrinkles 14).
Alpha-santalol, an important component of sandalwood, inhibits the growth of tyrosinase, an enzyme that leads to dark skin (20). All in all, using this face pack is one of the best remedies to get rid of dark neck.
4. Oatmeal And Tomato Juice Scrub
Ingredients to Be Used:
- 1/2 cup of colloidal oats
- 2 tablespoons of tomato juice
- 4 to 6 drops of avocado oil
How to Prepare
Grind oats into a fine powdered form and mix it with tomato juice and avocado oil. Apply this scrub generously on your neck and use your fingertips to massage gently. Massage for a minute and then keep this on your skin for about 10 to 15 minutes. Wash the scrub off with cold water and pat dry. Finish with a moisturizer.
Benefits
Avocado oil is a good source of vitamins B, E, and D, fatty acids, protein, and lecithin. It helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation (21).
Tomatoes, as mentioned above, depigments the skin efficiently (9).
The flavonoid component in oats absorbs harmful UV rays and protects the skin against damage caused by ultraviolet radiation (22).
5. Sweet Almond Oil And Coconut Oil
Ingredients to Be Used:
- A few drops of sweet almond oil
- A few drops of virgin coconut oil
How to Prepare
Mix both oils and rub the mixture on your palm. Use your palm and fingers to massage the oils onto your neck. Leave it on your skin for 30 minutes, then wash it off using lukewarm water.
Benefits
Almond is a natural emollient and helps rejuvenate the skin and improve skin tone (23). According to a study conducted on mice, applying almond oil topically can heal skin damage caused by UV radiation and reduce the symptoms of photoaging (24).
Coconut oil also possesses strong anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidative, and moisturizing properties that reduce the symptoms of UV-induced skin damage and soothe the skin (25).
Apart from learning about the simple and easy tips on how to get rid of dark neck, it's equally essential to take some preventive measures to keep your skin flawless.
How to Prevent Dark Neck?
- Wash and exfoliate your skin on a regular basis to get rid of dirt, dust, pollutants, and excess sebum. Follow proper hygiene measures like cleansing, scrubbing, and thorough drying to prevent fungal infections and dermatitis neglecta.
- As obesity is also one of the possible causes of dark skin, try to keep your weight in control.
- Make sure to use skin-friendly products that suit your skin type and skin texture.
- Wear sunscreen when you go out, and use de-tan face packs once in a while to keep your skin glowing and supple.
- Manage your blood sugar levels to keep away from the problems of discoloration of the skin.
- Last but not the least, follow a healthy lifestyle to keep your skin happy.
Conclusion
Once you are aware of how to get rid of dark neck and the preventive measures that you need to take so that it doesn't keep recurring, you can happily flaunt a beautiful neck with confidence and style! Remember, it's important to use home remedies as well as adopt a healthy lifestyle. All of the above-mentioned home remedies may take a few days to weeks to give results. However, always remember that natural doesn't always mean better and it's advised to do a patch test before you apply anything to your skin.
Sources:
1. Acanthosis Nigricans
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431057/
2. Dermatitis Neglecta -- A Dirty Dermatosis: Report of Three Cases
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4372914/
3. Drug Induced Pigmentation
4. Face and Neck Pigmentary Alterations in Hair Dye Users: A Cross-sectional Study from South India
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7678533/
5. Shining Light on Skin Pigmentation: The Darker and the Brighter Side of Effects of UV Radiation†
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3400707/
6. The Protective Role of Melanin Against UV Damage in Human Skin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671032/
7. Tinea Versicolor
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482500/
8. Tomatoes: An Extensive Review of the Associated Health Impacts of Tomatoes and Factors That Can Affect Their Cultivation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8869745/
9. The effect of tomato and lycopene on clinical characteristics and molecular markers of UV-induced skin deterioration: A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention trials
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36606553/
10. In-House Preparation and Standardization of Herbal Face Pack
11. Mechanisms Regulating Skin Pigmentation: The Rise and Fall of Complexion Coloration
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769151/
12. Are Natural Ingredients Effective in the Management of Hyperpigmentation? A Systematic Review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843359/
13. Protective Mechanisms of Green Tea Polyphenols in Skin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390139/
14. Are Natural Ingredients Effective in the Management of Hyperpigmentation? A Systematic Review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843359/
15. Potatoes and human health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19960391/
16. Vitamin C in dermatology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673383/
17. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
18. Effects of Carrot Extract on Skin Pigmentation and Serum Lysozyme Activity of Red Seabream Pagrus major
19. Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27213821/
20. Sandalwood Album Oil as a Botanical Therapeutic in Dermatology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749697/
21. Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263051/
22. A Review of Health-Beneficial Properties of Oats
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8625765/
23. The uses and properties of almond oil
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20129403/
24. Effect of pre-treatment of almond oil on ultraviolet B-induced cutaneous photoaging in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17348990/
25.In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6335493/
ALSO READ: Top 10 DIY Ayurvedic Face Packs for Glowing Skin You Should Try Right Away
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