About Remedies to avoid

Lemon juice

Lemon is one of the most popularly touted home remedies for getting rid of a tan, but it should not be used undiluted on the skin. No research has found that lemon juice or citric acid lightens skin or reduces melanin production. Lemon juice or slices of the lemon itself may help remove dead skin, but it can also be irritating.

Lemon juice should always be diluted and thoroughly washed off if used topically. Going out into the sun with lemon or other citrus juice on your skin, even if you tried to wash it off, can make irritation worse and may even lead to chemical burns. The juice causes a chemical reaction that makes your skin more sensitive to UV light.

Foreign lightening products

Do not buy skin-lightening products from countries outside of the United States. Researchers have found unlisted mercury, steroids, and other harmful ingredients in products from other countries.

Bleaching agents

Bleaching agents should also never be applied to the skin. That includes household bleach and any other product sold as a “whitening” or “bleaching” product.