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Personal Care and Style
Skin Care
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Making Skin Look Lighter
How to Lighten a Dark Neck Download Article Co-authored by Aanand Geria, MD
Last Updated: June 5, 2025 Approved
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Using Commercial or Medical Treatments
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Trying Home Remedies
|
Employing Good Hygiene and Sun Care
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This article was co-authored by Aanand Geria, MD. Dr. Aanand Geria is a board certified dermatologist, a clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai, and the owner of Geria Dermatology based in Rutherford, New Jersey. Dr. Geria's work has been featured in Allure, The Zoe Report, NewBeauty, and Fashionista, and he has peer-reviewed work for the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Cutis, and Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. He holds a BS from the Penn State University and an MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Geria then finished an internship at Lehigh Valley Health Network and a dermatology residency at the Howard University College of Medicine. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 388,956 times.
Dark skin on the neck can be caused by many things – like overexposure to the sun, eczema issues, chronic illnesses, or even poor hygiene. But there are many things you can do at home to help lighten these dark patches around your neck. It’s important to exfoliate your neck skin regularly, and also to apply various topical treatments to help lighten the darkening pigment. Ingredients like lemon juice, baking soda, yogurt, and walnuts can all work towards lighting the darker skin on your neck.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Using Commercial or Medical Treatments
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1 Moisturize with cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is a great moisturizing agent that can be used daily, even for sensitive skin. Apply cocoa butter to the darkened portions of your neck twice every day until you start to see results.
Continue using cocoa butter regularly to prevent your neck from darkening again.
Cocoa butter is a good solution for people with dry hair and skin, but people with oily skin may experience breakouts or oily hair.
2 Try a skin lightening product.[1]X Expert Source Jason PhillipHandymanExpert Interview There are many professional products that are intended to help lighten skin permanently. You should be able to purchase these from beauty supply stores, from an online vendor, or on the recommendation of your doctor.
Consider Melarase AM or PM products for skin lightening.
Use them twice daily, or as directed.
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3 Treat eczema. Darkening patches on the neck can be a symptom of eczema. If you have eczema, make sure you treat it according to your doctor’s orders. This usually involves applying topical creams regularly, or whenever you have a breakout.
If your eczema symptoms worsen, consult your doctor for further treatment options.
4 Prevent or treat diabetes and obesity. A dark neck is often a side effect of diabetes and obesity. If you want to prevent getting a dark neck, or your dark neck symptoms increasing over time, consider managing your weight with diet and exercise. A healthier lifestyle can also help in diabetes treatment.[2]XResearch source
If you have diabetes, be sure to discuss it with your doctor and get treatment immediately. Treating your diabetes can help minimize your neck discoloration.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Trying Home Remedies
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1 Protect your hair so that it isn't lightened by the treatment. When using any of the home remedies for lightening your neck, you need to keep the treatment off your hair because it could lighten, as well. The treatments could also dry out your hair. Before applying the home remedies, secure your hair off your neck.
2 Make a honey and lemon mixture. Combine three tablespoons of honey and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Honey and lemon juice are both known to have skin lightening properties. Apply the mixture to the darker portions of your neck and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it off.
Alternatively, you could add tomato pulp to honey and apply it topically to your neck.
3 Make a paste out of baking soda. Mix several tablespoons of baking soda with a bit of water, just until it thickens into a paste. Apply the baking soda paste to the areas of discoloration on your neck and let it sit for approximately 15 minutes. Then wash it off with water.[3]XResearch source
You can repeat this process several times a week as long as your skin does not become too sensitive.
The baking soda paste will also act a good exfoliant as your wash it off your neck area.
4 Apply vitamin E oil and almond oil. Heat up several teaspoons of almond oil in the microwave – use low heat for no more than 30 seconds. Mix in an equal portion of vitamin E oil and massage it into your neck skin with your fingers. Once you finish massaging, let the oil remain on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water.[4]XResearch source
This process is safe and gentle on your skin. You should be able to repeat this process daily.
5 Make a paste out of orange peels and whole milk. Dry out some orange peels by leaving them in the sun for a few hours. Once they are quite dry, grind the peels into a powder and add a bit of whole milk to the powder until it thickens into a paste. Apply the paste to your dark neck areas and let it dry on your skin. Leave it for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off.[5]XResearch source
Orange peels contain a high volume of vitamin C, which is known for its skin lightening properties.[6]X Expert Source Jason PhillipHandymanExpert Interview
If you have a food dehydrator, use this to dry out your orange peels. It will work better than the sun, which may leave your peels too tough to grind.
6 Rub cucumbers on your neck. Sliced cucumbers can act as natural exfoliants for your skin. Simply slice a cucumber and gently rub one side of the slice all along the affected areas on your neck.[7]XResearch source
You can also apply cucumber juice or grated cucumbers to your neck and let it sit.
For extra lightening effects, you can try adding a few drops of lemon juice to the cucumber as you rub it on your skin. Wait 10-15 minutes after you finish exfoliating before you wash off the remainder of the lemon juice.
7 Use a sugar and lemon mixture. Mix several tablespoons of sugar with lemon juice until it thickens and becomes a paste. Apply the paste to the darkened areas on your neck and massage it gently into the skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.[8]XResearch source
You can repeat this process several times per week, as long as your skin doesn’t become too irritated or sensitive.
8 Mix lemon and salt. Sprinkle some salt on top of lemon slices and gently rub the lemon on your neck. Continue massaging for several minutes and then let the lemon and salt residue remain on your neck for 15 more minutes.[9]XResearch source
Rinse it off and repeat the process several times each week for best results.
You can also use lemon juice mixed with salt as a lightening exfoliator.
9 Try yogurt and walnuts. Grind up one tablespoon of walnuts until there is just powder and small pieces of the nuts left. Combine the ground walnuts with several tablespoons of regular, unflavored yogurt. Apply the combination to the dark patches on your neck and massage it gently into your skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.[10]XResearch source
Yogurt is a good cleanser for the skin, and the acid content acts as an effective skin lightener. Walnuts contain many nutrients and minerals that can cleanse the skin and keep it moisturized.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Employing Good Hygiene and Sun Care
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1 Bathe regularly with antibacterial soap. Since a dark neck can often stem from poor hygiene, it’s important to bathe often – especially if you begin exhibiting symptoms. Use antibacterial soap on all areas of your body, including your neck, and rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue before you finish bathing.[11]X Trustworthy Source Mayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
Be sure to gently rub the soap on your body, as intense scrubbing could worsen your symptoms.
If you are unable to bathe, consider wiping your neck (and other body parts) with a baby wipe to stay somewhat clean.
In general, try to bathe at least once every couple of days.
2 Wear sunscreen whenever you’re outdoors.[12]X Expert Source Jason PhillipHandymanExpert Interview Dark neck can also be caused by overexposure to the sun. Make sure you wear sunscreen every time you’re outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Use at least SPF35 and apply it to all of your exposed skin, especially your neck.
Reapply your sunscreen every hour or so (and even more frequently if you’re getting in the water).
3 Keep the sun off your neck. Try to minimize your neck’s exposure to the sun by choosing your clothing accordingly. Try wearing collared shirts, scarves, or wide-brimmed hats whenever you know you’ll be outdoors for an extended period of time.
You can also wrap a bandana around your neck, or carry an umbrella/parasol to prevent sun damage.
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Expert Q&A
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Question How can I lighten dark areas of my skin? Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Aanand Geria is a board certified dermatologist, a clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai, and the owner of Geria Dermatology based in Rutherford, New Jersey. Dr. Geria's work has been featured in Allure, The Zoe Report, NewBeauty, and Fashionista, and he has peer-reviewed work for the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Cutis, and Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. He holds a BS from the Penn State University and an MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Geria then finished an internship at Lehigh Valley Health Network and a dermatology residency at the Howard University College of Medicine. Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist Expert Answer Look for an over-the-counter lightening cream and apply it to your skin. You can also try natural treatments with vitamin C. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 8
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Co-authored by: Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist This article was co-authored by Aanand Geria, MD. Dr. Aanand Geria is a board certified dermatologist, a clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai, and the owner of Geria Dermatology based in Rutherford, New Jersey. Dr. Geria's work has been featured in Allure, The Zoe Report, NewBeauty, and Fashionista, and he has peer-reviewed work for the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Cutis, and Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. He holds a BS from the Penn State University and an MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Geria then finished an internship at Lehigh Valley Health Network and a dermatology residency at the Howard University College of Medicine. This article has been viewed 388,956 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 11Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 388,956 Categories: Making Skin Look LighterArticle SummaryX
To lighten a dark neck, try making a mixture of honey and lemon and spread it on your neck. Wait for 15 minutes, then rinse it off. If your neck is still too dark, make a thick paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the discolored parts of your neck, then rinse it off after 15 minutes. Repeat either of these treatments several times a week unless it irritates your skin. Once you’ve lightened the skin on your neck, bathing often and wearing sunscreen outdoors will keep your neck from becoming too dark again. To learn more from our Cosmetologist co-author, like what commercial products or medical treatments you can use, keep reading the article!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Jul 15, 2018
"I use baking soda and peroxide, it works well. I put it on for 15 minutes and saw that my skin got lighter."
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist Co-authors: 11Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 388,956100% of readers found this article helpful. 1 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
Anonymous
Jul 15, 2018
"I use baking soda and peroxide, it works well. I put it on for 15 minutes and saw that my skin got lighter."
Anonymous
Oct 17, 2017
"Good hygiene is the best. Eat healthy and quit smoking."
Valerie Ocampova
Jun 20, 2018
"OMG, this worked - you guys should really try it!"
Khomo Mbatha
Jan 5, 2019
"I once had a dark neck, but now it's gone!"
Anonymous
Dec 19, 2017
"Apply the baking soda twice a day." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Co-authored by Aanand Geria, MD 
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Co-authored by: Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist This article was co-authored by Aanand Geria, MD. Dr. Aanand Geria is a board certified dermatologist, a clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai, and the owner of Geria Dermatology based in Rutherford, New Jersey. Dr. Geria's work has been featured in Allure, The Zoe Report, NewBeauty, and Fashionista, and he has peer-reviewed work for the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Cutis, and Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. He holds a BS from the Penn State University and an MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Geria then finished an internship at Lehigh Valley Health Network and a dermatology residency at the Howard University College of Medicine. This article has been viewed 388,956 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 11 Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 388,956 Categories: Making Skin Look Lighter Article SummaryX
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1 Moisturize with cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is a great moisturizing agent that can be used daily, even for sensitive skin. Apply cocoa butter to the darkened portions of your neck twice every day until you start to see results. 
2 Try a skin lightening product.[1] There are many professional products that are intended to help lighten skin permanently. You should be able to purchase these from beauty supply stores, from an online vendor, or on the recommendation of your doctor. 
3 Treat eczema. Darkening patches on the neck can be a symptom of eczema. If you have eczema, make sure you treat it according to your doctor’s orders. This usually involves applying topical creams regularly, or whenever you have a breakout. 
4 Prevent or treat diabetes and obesity. A dark neck is often a side effect of diabetes and obesity. If you want to prevent getting a dark neck, or your dark neck symptoms increasing over time, consider managing your weight with diet and exercise. A healthier lifestyle can also help in diabetes treatment.[2] 
1 Protect your hair so that it isn't lightened by the treatment. When using any of the home remedies for lightening your neck, you need to keep the treatment off your hair because it could lighten, as well. The treatments could also dry out your hair. Before applying the home remedies, secure your hair off your neck. 
2 Make a honey and lemon mixture. Combine three tablespoons of honey and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Honey and lemon juice are both known to have skin lightening properties. Apply the mixture to the darker portions of your neck and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it off. 
3 Make a paste out of baking soda. Mix several tablespoons of baking soda with a bit of water, just until it thickens into a paste. Apply the baking soda paste to the areas of discoloration on your neck and let it sit for approximately 15 minutes. Then wash it off with water.[3] 
4 Apply vitamin E oil and almond oil. Heat up several teaspoons of almond oil in the microwave – use low heat for no more than 30 seconds. Mix in an equal portion of vitamin E oil and massage it into your neck skin with your fingers. Once you finish massaging, let the oil remain on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water.[4] 
5 Make a paste out of orange peels and whole milk. Dry out some orange peels by leaving them in the sun for a few hours. Once they are quite dry, grind the peels into a powder and add a bit of whole milk to the powder until it thickens into a paste. Apply the paste to your dark neck areas and let it dry on your skin. Leave it for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off.[5] 
6 Rub cucumbers on your neck. Sliced cucumbers can act as natural exfoliants for your skin. Simply slice a cucumber and gently rub one side of the slice all along the affected areas on your neck.[7] 
7 Use a sugar and lemon mixture. Mix several tablespoons of sugar with lemon juice until it thickens and becomes a paste. Apply the paste to the darkened areas on your neck and massage it gently into the skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.[8] 
8 Mix lemon and salt. Sprinkle some salt on top of lemon slices and gently rub the lemon on your neck. Continue massaging for several minutes and then let the lemon and salt residue remain on your neck for 15 more minutes.[9] 
9 Try yogurt and walnuts. Grind up one tablespoon of walnuts until there is just powder and small pieces of the nuts left. Combine the ground walnuts with several tablespoons of regular, unflavored yogurt. Apply the combination to the dark patches on your neck and massage it gently into your skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.[10] 
1 Bathe regularly with antibacterial soap. Since a dark neck can often stem from poor hygiene, it’s important to bathe often – especially if you begin exhibiting symptoms. Use antibacterial soap on all areas of your body, including your neck, and rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue before you finish bathing.[11] 
2 Wear sunscreen whenever you’re outdoors.[12] Dark neck can also be caused by overexposure to the sun. Make sure you wear sunscreen every time you’re outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Use at least SPF35 and apply it to all of your exposed skin, especially your neck. 
3 Keep the sun off your neck. Try to minimize your neck’s exposure to the sun by choosing your clothing accordingly. Try wearing collared shirts, scarves, or wide-brimmed hats whenever you know you’ll be outdoors for an extended period of time. 
Aanand Geria, MD Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Aanand Geria is a board certified dermatologist, a clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai, and the owner of Geria Dermatology based in Rutherford, New Jersey. Dr. Geria's work has been featured in Allure, The Zoe Report, NewBeauty, and Fashionista, and he has peer-reviewed work for the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Cutis, and Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. He holds a BS from the Penn State University and an MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Geria then finished an internship at Lehigh Valley Health Network and a dermatology residency at the Howard University College of Medicine.