Horseradish might help melasma?

EggoMini · 12-01-2009, 04:49 AM

I've found several mentions of horseradish as a possible treatment for melasma?

...Mixed reviews I'm reading so far but mostly positive.

Quote:

05/05/2009: Raquel from San Francisco, CA replies: "...

In addition to the GSE I have also been doing the horseradish mask about three times a week. I was really tired of my spots so I wanted to try both at the same time. My melasma was mostly spots over my lips and two circles, one on each side of my cheeks. Good Luck"

05/24/2009: Michele from Denver, CO replies: "Raquel...along with the GSE remedy you use the horseradish mask. Can you share your "horseradish recipe" or is it just plain horseradish from a jar? How much do you put on and for how long? Thanks!"

09/26/2009: Hayday from Little Rock, Arkansas replies: "Raquel from San Francisco -- I was curious as to if you had dermal or epidermal melasma or both?"...

HORSERADISH

4 YEA
4 NAY
1 SIDE EFFECT

08/25/2009: Jake from Bend, Or writes: "HORSERADISH CURED MY SUN DAMAGE/ MELASMA. I have sun damage/ melasma on my forehead and while IPL worked great on my freckles, it did not work on this. I also tried hydroquinone to no avail. What did work (and I think it has been aided by significantly improving my diet, exercise routine, quiting marijuana, and taking msm, vitamin c, fish oil, multi-vitamin, antioxidants, and licorice as recommended by this and similar sites) more than anything and relatively fast was horseradish. I had had the redness for two years and then started putting an all natural horsedadish on it and it has almost gone in just months.

It scared me at first because I put it on 3 times for twenty minutes in a 36 hour period and it got so much darker and stayed that way, so I cursed my decision and fate. However, it peeled off within two weeks, similar to a sunburns peel (and close to what IPL does to freckles) and was lighter. Since then I experimented with the best way to administer it, and I know the goal is to just irritate the skin enough to get it to peel. For me with fair skin, I now cake it on the affected areas and leave it for an hour and fifteen minutes or so and then wait a week while it peels.

I recommend starting slowly by doing it once for fifteen minutes and then waiting a week or two to check the effect, Slowly increase either frequency or duration until you know what it takes to get a peel and then go with that. Although it burns fairly painfully to leave it on longer, I prefer one long dose because it's such a pain to put the stuff on and have it on your skin. Just go slow, and trust that it will work, for which I am so grateful to this site and other natural sites for turning me on to. Good luck."

EC: Thank you for this feedback! We have long suspected that one or two of the NAYs are fake posts regarding horseradish.

[NAY] 04/26/2009: Rob from Baguio, Philippines writes: "I used the horseradish every morning for two weeks now but unfortunately I did see any good result. I even developed this tiny tiny holes on my face that made my melasma even darker now. Just like what the others say anybody who will self treat themselves should think twice. See your doctor first as drugs/medicine work differently among us. Probably horseradish don't work to men like me. I hope i can find something that helps as this is affecting my daily routine. Thanks everyone for sharing."

[NAY] 04/29/2009: VMS from Australia, NSW replies: "I tried 99% horseradish and it has only made my melasma worse. I've used it 3 times (once each night) and it is now darker than it has been in months. In fact, in a couple of spots it is worse than it was before. I wish I'd never tried this remedy!"

[NAY] 04/30/2009: Leslie from New Castle, PA replies: "I used the horseradish for two weeks on my face for melasma that I have on my cheeks and around my mouth. It didn't work. It actually made the melasma darker."

[YEA] 08/08/2007: Jamie from Laguna Hills, CA writes: "i read in a book that swedish woman use horseradish on their faces to cure brown spots. I tried it and i will have to say it really worked. Not only did it take away brown spots instantly but it made my face glow and took away my sleep crease .definately give this a try i haven't heard anyone talking about horseradish but it works.Just get the kind at your local store that is crushed and put it on in a circular motion ,leave it on for a few minutes and rinse."

[YEA] 08/30/2008: Maria from Oceanside, CA replies: "I've had dark blotches on both sides of my face since I was pregnant 27 years ago. I've spent so much time and money without any possitive results. I have been washing my face with baking soda and using horseradish nightly for two weeks, not only has the color lighten but the big blotches are breaking up into smaller sections. I can now apply light make up and cover my blotches. I give a big thumbs up to horseradish."

09/29/2008: Nina from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles replies: "How did you use the horseradish, how much horseradish (I have ordered organic horseradish powder) and how long do you leave it on your skin?"

09/29/2008: Steve from Irvine, CA replies: "Horseradish plant for general health!

That is great news about the horseradish working on your skin. I've recently been taking the horseradish plant internally, for all kinds of detoxing and cleansing. I have a squamous cell carcinoma on my shoulder that has practically gone away since I've been taking Moringa. I'm excited about that. I've had others surgically excised, but this seems to be shrinking rapidly and about to disappear. Search for Moringa in Google, since there is a lot of information and best of luck!! Steve"

[YEA] 03/26/2009: CASSY from LAS CRUCES, NM replies: "FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE GAL THAT FIRST POSTED THIS INFO...U ARE A GODSEND ! I HAVE SUFFERED WITH ACNE AND MELASMA FOR OVER TEN YEARS. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING OUT THERE, SPENT THOUSANDS ON USELESS TREATMENTS, AND HAVE FOUND THAT SOMETHING SO SIMPLE AS HORSERADISH HAS ENDED THIS AWFUL CHAPTER IN MY LIFE ! THIS STUFF BURNS A BIT, BUT IS INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE AT ELIMINATING ALL BROWN PATCHES INCLUDING ONE THAT LOOKED PRECANCEROUS...IT JUST FELL OFF ! I AM TRUELY AMAZED AT HOW FAST THIS STUFF WORKS.

I HAVE BEEN PUTTING IT ON AT NIGHT AND LET IT DRY WHILE I READ OR WATCH TV. I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IT ON ALL NIGHT BUT AFTER IT DRIES IT WILL FLAKE OFF AND GET ALL OVER YOUR PILLOW/BED. SO WHAT I DO IS KINDA GROSS, BUT IT WORKS...I STAND OVER MY SINK AND GENTLY WIPE IT OFF WITH A DRY WASHCLOTH. I DO NOT WASH MY FACE ...I WANT TO LEAVE WHATS LEFT ON MY FACE ON ALL NITE LONG, ONLY WIPING AWAY THE EXCESS DRIED HORSERADISH. DO NOT RUB, ONLY WIPE GENTLY. I TRIED DOING THIS TWICE A DAY BUT IT WAS TOO MUCH...AND I BURNED MY SKIN A LITTLE....SO ONCE A DAY IS SUFFICENT.

I STARTED USING THIS ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND ITS ALMOST GONE...AND I HAD IT ALL OVER MY FACE.IT WAS REALLY REALLY DARK TOO. I HAVE ALSO HAD ACNE MY WHOLE LIFE IT SEEMS, AND HAVE NEVER FOUND ANYTHING THAT HELPS. I HAVE CYSTIC, AND REGULAR ACNE.I WAS SO SURPRISED TO NOT HAVE A BREAK OUT WHEN I GOT MY PERIOD. SO I HAVE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH IT ON PIMPLES AND CAN BELIEVE WHAT IT DOES. THIS STUFF DRIES IT UP IMMEDIATELY !

I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH MY RESULTS I AM NOW PUTTING IT ON MY ARMS WHERE I HAVE LOTS OF SUN DAMAGE AND A FEW SPOTS THAT I AM WORRIED MAY BECOME CANCEROUS. WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW HOW THAT GOES. I HAD A SIMILAR AGE SPOT THAT LOOKED CANCEROUS ABOVE MY EYEBROW. I HAD ONLY BEEN USING IT FOR ABOUT TEN DAYS WHEN THE WHOLE THING JUST CAME OFF, LIKE A SCAB ON A WOUND. WOW !!! THIS STUFF BURNS AND STINKS BUT IS SOOOO WORTH IT ! A MIRACLE PRODUCT SITTING ON YOUR GROCERS SHELF FOR ONLY A FEW BUCKS. TRY IT U WILL BE AMAZED TOO. BE DILIGENT AND DO IT EVERY NITE UNLESS U HAVE BROKEN SKIN...THEN U SHOULD WAIT TILL IT HEALS. I USE REGULAR CREAMY STYLE...NOT THE EXTRA HOT."

Melasma Cures from the Earth Clinic Community.

other horseradish-as-skin-treatment links

Medicinal Uses of Horseradish

Herbs for Health and Healing The Face

How to Get Rid of Brown Spots Using Home Remedies: 3 steps - wikiHow

Home Made Recipes For Pigmentation

promisetobegood · 02-05-2010, 01:09 AM

I have tried Horseradish. It does lighten your face temporarily - I think it just lightens epidermal melasma - and if you have a mixed type of melasma (i.e. dermal and epidermal) this will help a little. Try to get horse radish that is not too strong just incase you burn your face and make sure you leave it on for less than a few minutes :-)

nimmi · 02-09-2010, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by promisetobegood

I have tried Horseradish. It does lighten your face temporarily - I think it just lightens epidermal melasma - and if you have a mixed type of melasma (i.e. dermal and epidermal) this will help a little. Try to get horse radish that is not too strong just incase you burn your face and make sure you leave it on for less than a few minutes :-)

I have read about it on Earthclinic, but don't understand that do you use the horseradish sold in grocery stores? I bought one but it has vinegar and salt in it and used it once, it burns. Where do you get the powder as mentioned in one of the posts. Thanks

edensong · 02-09-2010, 10:15 PM

nimmi, I just googled horseradish powder. I'm sure there are other sites, but here are a couple.

Horseradish Root Powder - Starwest Botanicals

Horseradish Powder