Using lemon juice for freckles is less expensive than some other freckle treatments, like prescription creams and laser treatments. Lemon juice is also natural, meaning someone is less likely to have the same adverse reactions she might to a bleaching cream or chemical peel. Some people who use lemon juice for freckles, however, find that it fades the skin around the freckles, making the freckles even more noticeable. Applying lemon juice to the skin might also cause it to burn, itch, or sting. In such cases, the lemon juice should be washed off immediately.
Lemon juice is one of the most popular home remedies for freckles because it is natural and free of harsh chemicals, unlike some prescription and over-the-counter treatments. There are many bleaching creams available that claim to get rid of freckles, and some of them are very effective. But the chemicals in these bleaching agents can sometimes cause adverse reactions and unpleasant side effects, like irritation, rashes, and chemical burns. Using lemon juice is also less expensive than the other recommended treatments for removing freckles, like prescription-strength retinoids, chemical peels, laser treatments, and liquid nitrogen freezing treatments.
While using lemon juice for freckles has many advantages, this at-home freckle removal treatment also has some potential drawbacks. Some users find that lemon juice doesn't fade freckles, but makes skin around the freckles fade, which can make the freckles stand out even more. Even if the lemon juice works exactly as expected, the effects will only be temporary if the proper care isn’t taken. Brief sun exposure can cause the freckles to reappear, so anyone who uses lemon juice for freckles should avoid sun exposure as much as possible, and use a sun block to protect the skin. Lemon juice also has to be used regularly to keep the freckles from reappearing.
A major advantage of using lemon juice for freckles is how easy the treatment is. It is best to use fresh squeezed lemon juice, which won’t contain the preservatives, additives, artificial flavorings, and artificial colorings found in many commercial lemon juices. Using a cotton ball, apply the lemon juice to the skin where freckles are present. While some suggest using cold water to rinse the lemon juice off after about 15 to 20 minutes, others suggest the lemon juice will be more effective if it isn’t rinsed off.