Commonly Used Methods for Skin Whitening
Common
Methods for Skin Whitening
Methods for skin whitening include:
- Protecting your skin from the sun
- Exfoliating
- Using whitening creams
- Using whitening treatments like laser
therapy
- Using nutritional supplements to whiten
your skin from the inside
Some of these treatments can be used simultaneously with others (and
protecting your skin from the sun must be used if any of the other methods are
being used), while others should be used alone or after other treatments have
failed to give satisfactory results.
How Skin Whitening Works
In Asia, flawless milky-white skin has long been a mark of beauty.
Today, cosmetics that clarify and even tones in the skin as well as lighten the
color are known as whiteners, and are indispensable to the daily beauty
regimen.
Most whiteners work to inhibit and control melanin production, which
enables them to help prevent tanning and lighten freckles and other dark spots.
When alpha hydroxyl acids are included, whiteners also help to clear blemishes.
Skin lightening, depending on the area you want lightened and what your
specific problems are, may be performed piece by piece or all at once. If you
want drastic change in a large area of skin, you should always consult with a
doctor.
Danger Signs - What To Watch Out For
If you have severe pigmentation for a long period of time, speak to a
doctor. This could be a sign of a much more serious medical condition.
Never use unbranded or off-brand makeup or cosmetics, particularly if
they’re imported from a third-world country. These products may have coloring
agents or bleaching agents that are harmful or even toxic. Use makeup sparingly
if at all.
Remember that some drugs like birth control pills and sleeping pills can
cause pigmentation; the effects of these drugs should stop when you quit taking
them, and you should only treat pigmentation problems they cause under the
orders of a doctor.
Keep Your Skin White By Preventing Melanin Production
You can do more than just use skin whitening agents and go to a
dermatologist to keep your skin white and healthy. The cause of skin darkening
is melanin, which protects you from the sun, but which also makes you darker.
Some people produce more melanin than they really need for protection
from the sun; and with others, chemicals, pollutants, and excessive UV exposure
can cause a sudden overload of melanin. Even some cosmetics and perfume can
cause an overload. Melanin production can be affected by hormonal changes as
well, like those caused by pregnancy or oral contraceptives.
Some ways to discourage melanin production include the following:
- Always wear a sunscreen, especially
during pregnancy or when you take oral contraceptives.
- Wear clothing that protects you from
the sun, like a hat, loose sleeves, etc.
- Stay in the shade during intense
sunlight, especially between 10 am and 2 pm.
- Keep your skin’s circulation healthy.
Chemicals in cigarette smoke can inhibit circulation. Exercise can improve
it, even just a little extra walking.
- Eat and drink in a healthy way –
lots of fruits and vegetables, and lots of water. Vitamins A, C, and E
keep your skin conditioned, and you can get these from leafy green
vegetables, bright red and yellow fruits and vegetables, and whole grains
and nuts.
- Water keeps your skin hydrated, and
encourages healthy circulation.
- Keep your skin gently cleansed, and use
warm (not hot) water to open your pores.
- Gently exfoliate and then moisturize
your skin every day.
Skin Fading Ingredients
Skin whitening products, designed to lighten or whiten the skin as well
as even out skin tone and treat pigmentation disorders like freckles, pregnancy
marks, and age spots.
You can find skin whitening products in both commercial chemical and in
herbal remedies. Herbals aren’t necessarily better or safer than the chemical
skin fading agents, even if you choose to use all-natural products, you should
remember that hemlock is also all natural! Don’t assume a skin lightener is
completely safe just because it’s natural.
Some herbal ingredients to look for include:
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Aloe Vera
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In addition to its skin-softening and healing
qualities, aloe vera may absorb UV light, and has
been shown to have mild skin lightening qualities.
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Asafetida
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Sulphur-containing
essential oils in this plant’s root significantly reduce activity of tyrosinase.
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Arbutin
(Bearberry Extract)
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor, and also protects your skin from free radicals It also seems to
kill bacteria. It is very safe, and has whitening, antiaging,
and UV protection properties. Related to hydroquinone, and also extracted
from some pears, blueberry, and cranberry. Does not seem nearly as effective
as hydroquinone, and needs high concentrations for any kind of effectiveness.
Another extract of bearberry, methylarbutin,
is also an effective skin lightener, but may kill skin cells; long term use
may result in depigmentation, which often leads to
patchy coloring.
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Azelaic
Acid
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Selectively lightens skin where excessively
active melanocytes are found. Weakly inhibits tyrosinase. A better spot and freckle remover than skin
lightener.
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Cucumber (Cucurnis
sativa)
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Long used to lighten dark circles under the eyes,
it can lighten other areas as well. Extract is called phenylanin
and interferes with transfer of melanin to cells.
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Calcium pantetheine sulfonate
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Interferes with tyrosinase
and reduces existing melanin in the skin, leading to rapid, visible
whitening. It’s a derivative of pantotheic acid
(vitamin B). Only available in East Asia.
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Burner Root Extract
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor
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Golden Dock (Rumex martinus)
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Directly inhibits melanin formation by reducing tyrosinase activity.
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Kojic
Acid
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Derived from certain mushrooms. Tyrosinase inhibitor. It is consumed heavily in Japan for
its health benefits. It does have healthful effects on your blood as well as
on your skin. Melanocytes (melanin-producing cells)
treated with kojic acid don’t spread color as much,
and have less melanin. Kojic acid is also an
antioxidant. Kojic dipalmitate
is a more stable form.
Though this is an effective skin lightener, it
can cause sensitivity in some people.
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Licorice Extract
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor, contains glycyrrhetinic acid. In
addition, it prevents UV-B pigmentation and erythema.
It is an excellent anti-inflammatory. Main ingredient is glabridin,
an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
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Lemon Extract (Citrus limonum)
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Mild, natural exfoliant
and a good natural skin lightener.
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Melatonin
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Not melanin, melatonin has many effects on the
body, including mild skin lightening.
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Paper mulberry
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Low concentrations of paper mulberry extract may
be more effective than kojic acid or hydroquinone
in inhibiting melanin production and removing existing melanin.
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Mandelic
Acid
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Derived from an extract of bitter almonds, works
as a skin exfoliant especially in those with darker
skin types.
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Melanostat
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Inhibits tyrosinase and
works directly on melanocytes to inhibit melanin.
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Mulberry Extract
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor. Less is required to give the same effect as hydroquinone or kojic acid.
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Niacinamide
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Vitamin B3. Inhibits transfer of melanin from melanocytes to other cells. Also an excellent anti-aging
extract.
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Pycnogenol
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Extract of Pinus pinaster, the French maritime pine, this is an
antioxidant and increases the levels of vitamins C and E. It also protects
against UV radiation and, taken orally, is very effective against melasma.
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Scutellaria
Extract
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor
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Sepiwhite
(MSH) or undecylenoyl phenylalanine
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Melanotropin
antagonist; reduces the synthesis of melanin and is reputed to show skin
lightening in as little as s even days.
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Sleepy Morning Plant
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Gently inhibits melanin production and encourages
skin cell turnover
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Songyi
or matsuake mushroom
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Acts by reducing or inhibiting the production of
melanin. It’s a very stable product, which means it penetrates more deeply
than other products, especially if included in an overnight mask treatment.
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Soy Milk
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Reduces melanin cells and, according to at least
one study, can show significant skin lightening in a three week treatment.
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Vitamin A
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Retin-A
products are based on vitamin A extracts. Vitamin A encourages your skin to
turn over and may act, in some products, as a mild peel.
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Vitamin C
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor, and inhibits production of melanin, helps your skin synthesize
collagen, improves surface circulation, and regenerates vitamin E. Its
primary problem is that it has a short lifespan, so has trouble penetrating
deep into your skin. For this reason, it’s generally found in topical
treatments along with something to enhance its penetration of the skin.
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White Mulberry (Morus
alba)
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Extracts from the bark contain stylbens compounds, which lighten skin by working to
inhibit tyrosinase, and may also remove existing
melanin.
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Vitamin E
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A powerful antioxidant and anti-aging compound.
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Safe skin-lightening ingredients that are more likely to be chemical in
origin include:
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Melanostat
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor. Also acts on melanin skin receptors, deactivating melanin cells.
It’s a peptide from amino acids, blocks melanostat
receptors in your skin, decreasing the synthesis of both melanin and tyrosinase.
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Glycolic Acid
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor
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Alpha/Beta Hydroxy
Acids
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor and exfoliant
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Retinol
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Tyrosinase
inhibitor and exfoliant. It stimulates production
of collagen and makes the skin look more youthful.
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Octyl-p-methoxycinnamate
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this is a popular sunscreen ingredient. It is
effective at absorbing UV light, preventing UV rays from darkening skin.
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Octyl
salicylate
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this salt is extracted from the salicylic acid
found in wintergreen leaves and is an effective sunscreen. It may have mild
bleaching action, and is somewhat effective at killing bacteria as well.
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Oxybenzone
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a sunscreen ingredient that is effective at
absorbing UV-A rays.
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Hydroquinone
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A very effective tyrosinase
and melanin inhibitor, it works better than most other reasonably safe
products. However, it is a suspected carcinogen and has been banned in Asia
and Europe, and in many African countries.
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Salicylic Acid
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Encourages the turnover of skin while protecting
it from bacteria. Also a drying agent, so ensure you use a moisturizer.
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Magnesium Ascorbyl
Phosphate (MAP)
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This substance blocks tyrosinase
action in several spots.
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Mequinol
(4-hydroxyanisole)
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Hydroquinone derivative, but much more potent. Depigmentation is not permanent, but is certainly very
effective. Available in 2% concentrations under brand Solage.
Not for women who are pregnant, intending to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
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Monobenzene
(Benoquin)
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Depigmenting
agent which has erratic effect. Seems to make melanin bleed out from melanocytes. Dangerous to use except as a final step in
certain hyperpigmentation diseases, as it can lead
to an ugly sort of depigmentation.
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Dual Action Whiteners
Another approach is the development of skin whiteners that attack hyperpigmentation from more than one angle. These whiteners
target both the upper and lower layer of skin. They act on the epidermis, the
surface, to exfoliate and inhibit tyrosinase.
Simultaneously, they act on the dermis, the lower layer of skin, to enhance the
regeneration of skin cells and assist in the breakdown of melanin.
One dual action whitener uses ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to fade the
color of melanin and inhibit tyrosinase. But, since
ascorbic acid does not penetrate the skin well to act on the dermis,
glucosamine is used as a delivery agent. Glucosamine has recently become
popular as a supplement to help counter many of the effects of arthritis; but it
also is easily absorbed by the skin, and will take vitamin C with it.
Another nutrient used by dual-action whiteners is derived from yeast,
enhancing cell respiration to maximize oxygen in skin cells while washing away
toxins. Cell renewal activity is also enhanced. One form of this is called OxyPeptide. It basically acts as a gentle skin exfoliant, moving out the darkened older and dead skin
cells while allowing the lighter new cells to take their places. It takes about
thirty days for full effect.
Oral Treatments and Dietary Supplements for Whitening
Some believe that in addition to external whitening treatment, some
internal ones may also help.
Glutathione
You can use glutathione tablets for whole-body lightening from inside. These tablets are generally used to detoxify the liver of harmful substances like mercury, lead, cadmium, and pesticides that accumulate there, but skin whitening is a side effect. (You should consult your doctor before using any medications, just in case there are contraindications.)
This substance is a protein molecule formed from amino acids cystein, glycine, and glutamic acid. It’s manufactured inside your cells and is a great antioxidant and healing agent. Like many of the substances that can lighten your skin, glutathione is found in the liver, where it works to detoxify and eliminate toxins. It also has actions that increase the levels of vitamin C and E in your body.
High levels of glutathione may protect you against cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and premature aging. It’s sometimes prescribed by dermatologists as a method for whitening dark skin; taking it with vitamin C for three to six months has been reported to help lighten your skin.
Look for tablets of at least 500 mg, and try to find the purest glutamic acid blend possible; some other ingredients commonly found in glutamic acid tablets may have unwanted side effects.
Glutathione is often prescribed for people undergoing chemotherapy.
Alpha lipoic acid
You might also consider alpha lipoic acid (ALA) as a supplement. This is a super anti-oxidant that regulates sebum production, firms skin, increases glutathione produced naturally by the body, and helps you metabolize excess sugar and carbs.
Kanebo
Kanebo’s most advanced skin whitening formula is based on vitamin B blends. Their formula is known as B-Mixia, and consists of B2 and B6, as well as nicotinic-acid amide. This oral supplement can stop changes in skin pigmentation when the skin is exposed to UV radiation, according to Kanebo. Since it’s so difficult these days to avoid sun, especially on the face, this is an especially welcome advance.
There are many oral supplements and skin-whitening products that may or may not work. But Kanebo claims that B-Mixia is as much as 50 times as effective as taking vitamins C and E, and should last longer than the commonly-used L-cysteine. It is also supposed to inhibit adrenocorticotropic secretions. This hormone is related to melanin formation, the process by which your skin darkens.
This is literally peeling off the outer, older cells to reveal lighter
colored cells beneath, and can be compared to peeling the skin of a sunburn. If
you get one at a spa, you’ll peel right there, right away; if you go to a
dermatologist for a prescription peel, you’ll peel several days later. Cell
turnover rate is increased, and both color irregularities and some texture
problems can be eliminated. The hydroxyl acids are based on vitamin A, but that
doesn’t mean they’re perfectly safe! You should use them only under the supervision
of a physician or an aesthetician who knows what she’s doing.
Alpha Hydroxy
Acids (AHA) are the best known. With 8% glycolic acid, these peels remove hyperpigmentation and skin damage, improve the texture of
your skin, and increase cellular turnover. Higher concentrations work better,
but will probably cause more skin irritation.
Beta Hydroxy Acids
(BHA) use salicylic acids (the same basic substance you find in aspirin) and
some others. In addition to exfoliating, BHAs are anti-inflammatory and comedolytic (i.e., they unclog pores). You’ll find BHA in
many common beauty products, like Oil of Olay’s Age Defying series. They don’t
necessarily remove hyperpigmentation but do increase
the rate of turnover in your skin. If you also use a good sunblock,
this may be a good gentle way to start your skin lightening treatments.
Topical Vitamin A (Retinyl
Palmitate) includes the Retinol products. You’ll find
these over the counter. Vitamin A is the primary ingredient.
Kinerase (N6-Furfuryladenine 0.1%) is available only by prescription. It
improves roughness, blotchiness, and fine wrinkles. It’s good for sensitive
skin, as it does not burn or irritate the skin.
Retinol causes exfoliation, and is available
by prescription in stronger strengths.
Retin A is an FDA approved photo damage treatment
lotion/cream. It’s very strong, and in the strongest concentrations may cause
breakouts in some people. Available by prescription.
Renova, or vitamin A aldehyde,
works similarly to Retin A, but is not as harsh and
also not quite as effective. Available only by prescription.
Refinity Peel is a 15% lactic acid (AHA) product and
a 70% glycolic peel with .06 pH
and cosmederm-7. Irritation can be present, but this is a very effective
treatment for skin discolorations. Available by prescription.
Beta-Lift by Medicus
uses a salicylic acid peel to exfoliate. Available by prescription.
Physician strength dermal peels may be
available only in a doctor’s office.
Non-Pharmaceutical Medical Skin Lightening
There are several non-pharmaceutical treatments that may be available to
you through a doctor for skin lightening.
Intense Pulsed Light uses intense flashes of light focuses specifically
on darkly pigmented areas to kill the skin cells there and encourage skin cell
turnover. This works especially well in people with darker skin tones.
Laser resurfacing evaporates the first few cellular levels of damaged or
pigmented skin to reveal fresh, even skin. This is a way to not only get rid of
hyperpigmentation but also to eliminate scarring and
pitting caused by acne, disease, burning, or other trauma to your skin.
Microdermabrasion is like sandblasting for the skin; your
skin is abraded by oxide crystals, vitamin C crystals, and other mild abrasives
to remove the top layer of skin cells, mostly dead. It stimulates the
production of new skin cells deeper in the dermis.
