**CORRECTION**: Please note that it was recently brought to our attention that one of the suggestions below — related to lessening the appearance of moles / removing them by using flaxseeds and honey — cannot be supported by scientific evidence / studies. Please see the “Flaxseeds and honey.” section below for more information.

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Your skin is your body’s largest organ, covering essentially every inch of you. That being said, it shouldn’t be surprising that there are a million problems that can crop up when it comes to your skin.

Skin takes a lot of damage — it’s exposed to the elements more than any other part of your body — and that shows up in a variety of ways. Whether it be skin tags, warts, moles, rashes, or acne, there are plenty of ailments that plague skin — and they stink.

Luckily, there are also plenty of all-natural ways that you can use to combat many of these external issues. Here are a few of the most common skin problems and the best DIY ways to handle them.

Age Spots

Something none of us can stop are the effects of growing old. When it comes to skin, age can wreak some serious havoc in the shape of wrinkles, lines…and age spots. Nix those brown spots fast with these remedies:

1. Onion and apple cider vinegar. Applying a mixture made from equal parts onion juice and apple cider vinegar directly to the age spot can fade its appearance. You probably won’t find onion juice in stores, but Organic Facts suggests blending an onion and draining it with a strainer to get all the Vitamin C out of the root veggie.
2. Horseradish and milk. Soak raw horseradish in a bowl of milk for 20- 30 minutes before applying to skin. The antioxidants and volatile compounds will fade spots and eventually help them to disappear.
3. Buttermilk and tomato. The potent acids in both of these ingredients are great for lightening dark spots, as well as an effective cleanser for your skin in general.

Moles

They can be genetic or develop because of sun exposure: moles. If you hate your moles, there are ways to lessen their appearance — however, don’t forget your ABCDE’s of skin cancer. Any moles that look suspicious should immediately be brought to your doctor.

1. Cumin. Natural Remedies recommends making a paste of ground cumin and water and applying it to your moles over a period of three weeks.
2. Essential oil bath. If you have several moles on different parts of your body, Beyond Disease recommends taking a hot bath that’s been treated with 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup sea salt, 6 drops lavender essential oil, and 3 drops frankincense oil.
3. Flaxseeds and honey. **CORRECTION** While this article claimed that flaxseed oil helps to remove moles naturally and honey aids in preventing secondary infection and scarring, there is no scientific evidence / studies that support these claims. In other words, the information contained in this suggestion is false. Please see this article for more information. A dermatologist was consulted when the article was written, and it was suggested that this particular remedy would help lessen the appearance of moles and/or remove them. We failed to find a study that supported this claim. So while we had information from a dermatologist backing this “natural way” to address the reduction and/or removal of moles, we cannot point to any specific scientific research that has reached the same conclusion. There is no proof that this remedy actually works, and therefore this should not be considered a way to lessen / remove moles. We apologize for providing misleading and inaccurate information.

Warts

One very unsightly skin issue are warts. People will spend a crazy amount of money to get warts removed, but there’s no need with these all-natural remedies!

1. Apple Cider Vinegar. Spoiler Alert: Apple cider vinegar has a TON of uses, especially for your skin. And, you guessed it, getting rid of warts is one of them. The best way is to soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and then fix it over the wart using a band-aid. The acid in the vinegar will eat away at the mole and it will eventually peel away. Pro Tip: Don’t pick at it because you want the entire core of the wart to fall away naturally.
2. Banana peel. This one may be a little more effort than the vinegar, but according to Everyday Roots, the banana peel contains a proteolytic enzyme that can break down warts. Use a spoon to scrape away the white, soft substance on the inside of the peel, and apply it to your wart, covering it with a band-aid. Repeat daily.
3. Pineapple juice. This works on the same theory as the above two tips; soaking your warts in pineapple juice exposes it to acids which eat away at the wart.

Blackheads

Acne is something many of us struggle with and absolutely dread. And the worst of all? Blackheads. Here are a few easy ways to get rid of these especially nasty pimples:

1. Baking soda. You may have heard that baking soda is an all-natural antiseptic, which means it helps to neutralize the pH levels. It can be used as a great general cleaner but it also encourages your skin to produce less oil and exfoliate away dead skin cells, thereby reducing blackheads. Add a little water to form a paste and apply it to your blackheads, leaving it for about ten minutes. Rinse away with warm water.
2. Oatmeal. Our breakfast go-to works to loosen up the debris stuck in your pores and eliminate blackheads. Natural Living Ideas recommends cooking the oatmeal as per normal, allowing it to cool and then applying to your face, leaving it to sit for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Lemon juice. The alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) citric acid in lemon juice works to remove dead skin and loosen clogged pores. Rich in vitamin C, lemon juice also stimulates collagen production to improve your overall skin health. After cleansing as per your normal routine, use a cotton ball to dab lemon juice onto your blackheads and allow it to dry. You can leave it on overnight or rinse after ten minutes. Be careful if you have broken skin as the juice will sting.