TIPS FOR SKIN CARE

SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

Skin whitening is a prime objective of skincare for many women, with hyper

pigmentation due to sun damage or hormones now considered as much of an

aging factor as wrinkling. Many cosmetics companies claim that their products

provide skin whitening or brightening, but there are only a few active ingredients

that really are able to fade skin discolorations. The most effective ingredients for

skin whitening are hydroquinone, kojic acid, arbutin, and vitamin C. Avoid

treatments that contain mercury, because though it’s effective, it’s highly toxic.

SKIN WHITENING PRODUCTS

Hydroquinone is the most common skin whitening ingredient used in the

U.S. It is available in concentrations of up to 2% in over-the-counter products,

and stronger solutions (up to 4%) can be prescribed by a dermatologist.

However, hydroquinone is banned in Europe and parts of Asia and Africa due to

fear of a cancer risk. Hydroquinone works by inhibiting melanin production and

is very effective after 4 weeks of continuous treatment; using hydroquinone

products for longer than 3 months is not recommended, however, because

overuse can actually cause darkening of the skin.

Kojic acid also inhibits melanin production. Derived from a fungus, it is a

more natural skin whitening alternative to hydroquinone. Kojic acid is more

effective when combined with glycolic acid, and can be extremely irritating

to sensitive skin, so try a small test patch first. People using kojic acid products

will usually see results within 8 weeks. Many Japanese skin whitening

products use kojic acid as the active ingredient. Recent studies have also

called kojic acid’s safety into question, however.

Arbutin is a relatively new skin whitening ingredient that is made from

bearberry extract. Since it also has soothing properties, it’s an excellent

choice for people with sensitive skin. However, it hasn’t been tested as

extensively as the other skin whitening treatments, so its efficacy is as yet

unproven.

Vitamin C can also be effective at inhibiting melanin production. However,

the tests that show it to be effective have used a concentration of over 5%,

which is much more than what is usually used in cosmetic products. Vitamin

C is also notoriously unstable, which means that by the time a cosmetic

roduct containing it gets home to you it may have broken down and become

useless. For this reason, Vitamin C is a last resort skin whitening treatment

for those who can’t use the other topical treatments for one reason or another.

For those for whom topical skin whitening treatments don’t work, laser

resurfacing or visible pulsed light treatments, available from a dermatologist’s

office, may do the trick. These treatments, which need to be repeated periodically

to be effective, cost from $3,000-$5,000 for a set of four treatments. Laser

resurfacing and visible pulsed light are not recommended for people with dark

skin, as they can leave disfiguring scars.

Whichever active skin whitening treatment you choose, make sure to use

sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 daily. Using skin whitening treatments

without sunscreen actually accelerates sun damage and makes it worse.