DERMATOLOGY COMMUNITY
Ginger For Hypopigmented Scars?

Ginger For Hypopigmented Scars?

Can anyone attest that using fresh ginger works to heal/return pigment to hypopigmented scars? I was doing a search on hypopigmented scars and found a peculiar blog about how "passing over" fresh ginger onto hypopigmented scars will heal them - that this will return basically full pigment in 1 - 6 months.

Some quotes from the blog are:
------
I was referred by a friend to an old Chinese man who practices alternative medicine from his home. He told me to start using the juice of fresh ginger roots on my vitiligo.

Buy fresh ginger roots. Go home and wash the roots to rinse off soil and chemicals. Cut off a slice of the root and pass it over the discolored areas. Do not rub! When that slice dries out, cut another slice and do the same thing again. Do that everyday. Don't forget. You can also do it a couple of times a day. You DO NOT need to go out in the sun. You DO NOT need the ultraviolet sessions. You can QUIT everything else you're using.

(...)A healthy cell has to communicate with a neighbor discolored cell and 'tell it' to begin producing melanin. But the ginger roots have some type of property that 'teaches' the cells to begin producing melanin SPONTANEOUSLY, from inside out.
---------

The entire blog's 5 entries are devoted to this specific topic (ginger for hypopigmentation) and is written sort of gimmicky . But why would someone go at great lengths to make something this obscure up? Especially if it didn't work. There's nothing for sale on the blog and I can't see how the author would make any profilt.


I'm about to try this on a hypopigmented scar I've had for a few years now (on my penis), but wanted to know what some of you think. It wouldn't suprise me if works greatly and is hardly known at all, seeing as ginger basically costs nothing and no big companies can make a profit from its sale.

Also the site's quotes mention to use the juice of fresh ginger, but then says to simply "pass" the ginger over the scar until it dries (not rub). I'm not quite sure what that means.. Maybe I should just try squeezing a little juice on the scar?
Related Discussions
32 Comments Post a Comment
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
I got laser burn and got hypo pigmentation on my arms,,,,,I cant wear sleeveless anymore,,, Its been a month and i am using vitamin E and now i ahve started using ginger juice,,,,,If i see any change i will let you know,,,,,,,,
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
Does anyone know if these marks from laser burn ever goes away? I am so stressed......
Blank
Avatar_n_tn
I have hypopigmentation from laser hair removal on my legs it has been 3 months did the ginger work for you? I have been so stressed out also.
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
I have just started using ginger 3 days ago,,,,,,,but when i got my laser and got burned, i started using vitamin e and mixed it with vitamin A and D cream from wallgreen,,,or shoppers drug mart,,,,,,,,, and i use to keep it moist 24-7 and use to do this 3 or 4 times a day and its been a month since i got my laser but i could see a little change and my marks are not that white or red anymore.......I am trying to put vitamin e and ginger juice on my marks.........just to see if this changes it more.....One more thing,,,,if u put all these things and u feel that its too greasy,,,then u can put some baby powder on it too........
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
These hypo pigmented scars are very hard to get rid of and there are not too many things about the treatment..........
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
i am also trying to have basil leaves in tea 2 times a day.........as it is suppose to help get rid of hypo pigmentation,,,,,,so i will keep u updated with my pigmented scars.........
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
Check this out too
http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com/blog/skin-treatments/remedies-for-skin-patches-treatment.html
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
Its been a week since i am using ginger juice on my arms and my marks have been starting to blend in :)
Blank
1044425_tn?1257546110
my hypo pigmentation is getting darker and actually it is getting darker than my skin tone,,,,,,,,maybe they are going to blend in soon,,,,,,hope for the best........
its been 3 months now and i am also using vitamin E and Eucerin cream mixed every night now hope for the best,,,,,,
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
That's interesting, shine. Are you using ginger AND vitamin E + Eucerin cream? Or just those last two?

I've been putting fresh juice from ginger root 1 - 2 times a day on my scar for over 4 months, and I can't say if it has done much. Since I know not of any other options, I'll continue to try it.. Maybe it takes a long time for older scars (mine's 2 years old).
Blank
1263075_tn?1269916496
HELLO!! If you read my post ( http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dermatology/Sudden-appearance-of-light-patches-around-mouth/show/1207196?personal_page_id=1318173#post_5519416 ) you will discover that I too have been plagued by two patches of hypopigmentation due to a stupud hydrocortisone cream prescribed by my doctor. I recently read the article about ginger.. I do not have any ginger at home but I'm going to start the remedy ASAP and I promise to get back to you as soon as I see any results! All the best, God bless you!
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Shine......are you kidding me right now?!?!?  I have been dealing with FULL BODY hypo for going on 2 years now as a result of laser hair removal.  My dermatologist has prescribed phototherapy 2-3 times a week which I just discovered I will not be able to afford.  I tried tanning last fall and got decent results but what you really need is UVB to repigment your skin, not UVA.  My derm also told me to buy an OTC lotion, AmLactin.  It's not cheap but it's exfoliating the hell out of my skin already.  Anyway, when I told him I'd been using a vitamin E cream he told me to stop using it because the skin can essentially become immune to it.  Anyway, I just came across that blog about ginger and it sounded believable enough because she's not selling a thing.  It looks like she's simply sharing her experience.  I have both fresh ginger and basil at home and will put them to use the second I get home today.  I have nothing to lose....but spots.  I'm going to give this a try and see what happens.....
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Hey guys is this ginger remedy really helpful?? I have a hypo pigmented burn scar on my hand and I hate it!! I've been putting ginger juice + vitamin E. on since the past 2 days and um so far everything is the same. Should I keep putting it on?? Will it really work?? I really want this scar to go away =( HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!
Blank
1263075_tn?1269916496
Hello!! Did you use the ginger remedy..? did it help? :( any helpful advice?
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
hi guys, i started this for a week now. twice a day, im putting ginger slices on top of the hypopigmented spots. as for any changes, yes there is. but very minimal at this point. i believe it is not an overnight remedy. i will try this for 6 months and will let you know if it is indeed effective. i have searched over the net and there is no site or page that said it is effective nor if there is any research that says so. i only got this idea from you guys. what have i got to loose if i try it? well time and a few cents for the ginger. i have been to expensive laser treatments, all i got was worsened scars. i will update every now and then.
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
I had hypopigmentation (scar) due to a lazer treatment (C02) gone to deep and have lived with the scar area on my face near left nasal fold for well over 10 years. Having more lazer treatments did shrink the spot but the scar still remained and I ended up with demarcation lines from different lazers. I've since been using ginger juice and it's blending my skin again to my natural fair skin. What you need to do is not just apply on the surface since the juice needs to penetrate the skin in order to create circulation and blood flow to that area - so I use a hand held massage divice to penetrate ginger juice into the area with the white patch. I've only done so for a week but there is a change in color now so will continue until it's fully gone.. For those with demarcation caused by lazer - a great way to blend those lines is to use RSL Peels but you may need at least 6 treatments to truly blend those lines. I had to deal with that as well thanks to lazer screwing up my face but these treatments improved those areas so one can NOT tell I had anything done unlike before when my face SCREAMED botch surgery :)

Good luck!
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
did it work for you in your case?
Blank
Avatar_n_tn
How everybody is doing! The ginger is really working?, I have white scars from acne in my face, neck, chest and back, they are all over and they're old.....I am ready to try the ginger, I just  would like to have an update from those ones who have tried.

Thank you.
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
My God!
Reading all this just makes me think I still have a hope! I've been having a (minor) hypopigmentation for almost 2 months now, and it's been stressing me out because I have it on my penis. So it's really not cool to see.

I tried Dermatix first, and after 2 weeks and there was no result, I saw a dermatologist who (I have no idea why on earth he did this) prescribed me Hydrocortisone 2.5%. At first I just followed what my derm told me, plus the pharmacy told me Hydrocortisone could actually make the skin repigment. But after doing more research, I found numerous people who testified that Hydrocortisone could actually cause hypopigmentation!

I've been applying it for a week, and after reading all this, I don't feel like applying it anymore. I'll definitely try ginger!  
Does anyone else have anything to share on this ginger treatment?  
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
Ok, had my first ginger trial today, and HIGHLY UNRECOMMENDED if you were about to pour it on your genitals! I had an EXTREMELY burning, stinging sensation, and after a while I checked my penis and there's no sign of inflammation, rash, discharge whatsoever. Maybe because penis skin is thinner than the rest of the body. When I poured it on my hands I didn't feel anything.

I don't know if I can stand this treatment for months; my first trial didn't seem to work. I'll try the combination of Vitamin B12 + folic acid + sun exposure.
Good luck to all of us!
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Hi Shine,
Your posts are the only ones that seem to give me some hope. I had laser hair removal done on my arms about 3 weeks ago when got burnt. My scabs have fallen off and have left hypopigmented white spots on my forearms and I cannot afford to wear anything sleeveless any longer. They look disgusting. Reading up on this, I found that people have not been able to get rid of them, but it seems you had some amount of success getting rid of these scars. I am ashamed to show my arms and am depressed every time I look at them.
I would be very grateful if you could share your regimen about the ginger treatment. How many times did u apply it? did u apply the juice or rubbed slices of ginger on your skin? How many times a day did you apply ginger? You mentioned that your patches became darker than your original skin color, was this temporary? I am so stressed about this and cannot concentrate on anything....it has affected me immensely...please help me...how long do I keep applying this....? did your pigments go away completely?
I'm so glad u shared this with everyone....may God bless you...
Hope to hear from you.
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Did the ginger treatment work for you at all ? I had my laser hair removal treatment done exactly a month ago and had burns which have now led to hypopigmentation all over my arms. They look awful and I am ashamed. Please let me know if the ginger treatment helped, as this seems to be my only hope
Blank
Avatar_n_tn
Just want to share my experience with ginger and hypo pigmentation.  I got a REALLY bad sunburn back in April which resulted in white hypo pigmentation spots all over my chest- I was so annoyed and thought they would go away eventually- since I have been burnt many times.  After a month of no change I stared researching and found few options.  Hydroquinone- a skin lightener banned in some countries cuz it may cause cancer- no thank you, laser- no thank you, a deep chemical peel that would like burn off a few layers of skin- um no, and then the bog on ginger... so I went with the latter and have been using it 1-2 times a day or as often as i can remember for the past two months.  There is definitely a difference.  My skin is becoming more blended!  I simply cut a slice of ginger from a fresh root and rub it on my skin- simple and apparently effective, so I plan on continuing with this for as long as it take to rid me of my discoloration and I am confident that it will eventually be completely blended back to normal.  Good luck to everyone else- if contemplating- I say for sure use ginger- it does not burn at all (what?), is inexpensive, easy, and smells great.  Only cons- slow process and you have to be consistent with daily applications but this is like any "medicine".
Blank
Avatar_n_tn
i just started doing the ginger root treatment today. i'll keep y'all updated excited! :D
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Same here. I started applying ginger root juice on affected areas. I'll keep you informed later on about the result.
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Hi everybody!
Im really desperate as well after having my skin damaged by ipl laser, but I got more of HYPER pigmentation with some small dots of hypo pigmentation in it. I've been recommended lots of different bleaching things etc, but I wonder - wouldn't ginger also help my problem of hyper since ginger really seems to activate cell renewal and circulation - thus blend my darker discoloration eventually? Anyone know anything? Really desperate, would be so happy if I got a lead, thanks.
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Hi everybody!
Im really desperate as well after having my skin damaged by ipl laser, but I got more of HYPER pigmentation with some small dots of hypo pigmentation in it. I've been recommended lots of different bleaching things etc, but I wonder - wouldn't ginger also help my problem of hyper since ginger really seems to activate cell renewal and circulation - thus blend my darker discoloration eventually? Anyone know anything? Really desperate, would be so happy if I got a lead, thanks.
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
I have today started the ginger root juice treatment. I am hoping to God it works. I have had hypo pigmentation for 6 years now and have tried all treatments to no avail. Only last week i stopped UVB treatment from the hospital. In fact i was discharged by the doctor. Reason? after 8 months of twice weekly treatment and no visible results, he advised discontinuance. I will keep all posted on my progress.
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
About 5 days ago, I have began the ginger treatment for hypopigmentation spots on my face (the result of sun exposure too soon after CO2 laser treatment). I also have hyperpigmentation and am concerned that rubbing the ginger over my hypopigementation spots will darken my hyperpigmentation spots. Does anyone have any thoughts or information about this?
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
I cant express how hopeful i am about this ginger treatment..i have had hypopigmentation for about four years now...i have small white spots all over my face and ive tried everything and ive stumbled over this blog and i feel like i have hope again!!! I will keep you all posted on whether it works for me..anyone having success with the ginger treatment?
Blank
Avatar_m_tn
Hello can anyone give me an update on their results, I have hypopigmented spots on my face and really want it to go away
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
I had some permanent makeup removed from my lips and upper lip line using a removal method which involves tattooing over the area with an acid solution. The tattoo pigment is nearly gone but now I have some hypo pigmentation on my upper lip line. I am going to try the ginger root slices every night and let you all know if I see any results.
Blank
Have a Dermatology question?
100,000+ doctor answers
Post a Comment
To
Comment
Post A Comment
Go
Blank
Food Diary Tracker
What are you eating?
Start Tracking Now
MedHelp Health Answers
Submit
Blank
My Diet Diary
The ideal weight loss app
Download Now
Top Dermatology Answerers
995833_tn?1329269604
Blank
maatson
Other
681148_tn?1285160820
Blank
FurballsMom
757137_tn?1316284120
Blank
allmymarbles
NJ
1939607_tn?1324292900
Blank
nefeli1986
Greece
RSS Expert Activity
1741471_tn?1329053231
Blank
Love, endorphins and biochemistry. ... Blank
Feb 15 by Michael Gonzalez-WallaceBlank
1684282_tn?1311133646
Blank
Pregnancy and Addiction
Feb 14 by Julia M Aharonov, DOBlank
514494_tn?1329196433
Blank
What's the Best Type of Mattress?
Feb 13 by Adam Tanase, D.C.Blank