Natural lip bleaching for the treatment of discolored lips

Smoking has been linked to any number of serious and potential fatal medical conditions, including lung cancer and coronary heart disease. Your experience of lips turning dark and ‘black’ is one of the milder and common effects of smoking. It is mainly due to the staining effect of tobacco and the many chemicals used in cigarettes. Consumption of caffeine in the form of tea or coffee can also contribute to the darkening effect. Finally, prolonged exposure to sunlight’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can accelerate the process of reducing the natural, healthy color of your lips. If you also consume alcohol in addition to smoking, you can be at risk of developing carcinoma (skin cancer) on your lips. All of the above are excellent reasons for you to kick the habit now. After five years of smoking, you still have a reasonable chance of improving your lung function, reducing the risk of serious disease, and living a healthier life.

You can begin to repair the cosmetic damage to your lips only once you decide to quit smoking. This is simply because no remedy can work if you continue to stain the lips. You should also consider avoiding tea and coffee during your treatment. A good start is to begin a mild exfoliation of the skin on your lips. This can help to remove the outer layers which are darker in color. A gentle massage with a toothbrush can help, but be careful not to get impatient and overdo this process; you will only damage your lips. You could also apply a mild moisturizer such as glycerin or petroleum jelly on the lips. This will help soothe the skin and prevent further staining.

A popular natural remedy for treating discolored lips is to massage them with some lime juice, since the acidic nature of the juice makes it a very good bleaching agent. However, do not leave the juice for more than 5 minutes to avoid damaging the skin. You could also soak some cotton in apple cider vinegar and dab the lips with it every day to help bring back the natural smoothness and pinkness of your lips. Some remedies recommend applying almond oil or honey to your lips first thing in the morning for 15 minutes before rinsing. This is believed to refresh the skin and moisturize the lips. Another natural solution for discolored lips involves applying some yogurt mixed with pinch of turmeric powder for 15 minutes.