There are many skin bleaching treatments with different levels of effectiveness. Over the counter you will see varieties of skin bleaching products such as skin lightening pills, skin bleaching soap and skin lightening supplements. But choosing the best product may not be such an easy task due to failures and risks behind most of the products.
What about Bleaching Skin Cream?
People, nowadays, want to look fairer than they usually do. The good thing about this is that there are more products in the market that offer help. However, there are reasons to be worried about using such products as some may harm the skin as well. Let us discover then how bleaching skin creams may work or not for skin lightening. Bleaching skin creams are solutions that are applied topically on the skin that works to lighten it. These creams contain an active ingredient known as hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is the only skin bleaching agent that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bleaching skin creams are normally used to fade hyper-pigmented areas and in addition they can help with other skin conditions too. Prior to the use of these creams, you must consult your doctor or dermatologist if beaching skin cream is recommended for your skin condition.
Significance of Hydroquinone in Bleaching Skin Creams
Hydroquinone acts to lessen the amount of melanin in the outer layer of the skin. Melanin is a compound that gives color to the skin, explained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Melanin is produced by the body naturally however sun exposure can contribute to the production of melanin which helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of the UV rays.
Features of Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone cream is a bleaching cosmetic used to reduce the appearance of age spots, freckles, and other skin discolorations. It works by reducing the amount of pigment created in skin, which makes it look lighter. Most of these creams are sold over the counter (OTC) in drugstores or on the Internet, and have about a 2% or less concentration of hydroquinone. Prescription varieties can contain up to 4%. Though this cream normally results in visible lightening after four weeks, it is banned in many countries because it can cause permanent skin discoloration and may be linked to cancer.
Duration of Treatment
You have to wait about four to six months to be able to notice any improvement on your skin tone. If there are no visible results within this period, you must stop using the product and try other options which can help lighten areas of your skin.
Uses
Bleaching creams are often used to treat age spots also known as sun spot or liver spots since these dark areas of the skin are consisted of clusters of melanin. Additionally these creams are also used to treat melasma, freckles, chloasma, acne spots, skin trauma and post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation.
Other Products
There are other products that can help lighten the skin although these are considered real bleaching agents. Examples are kojic acid, azelaic acid, glycolic acid, melatonin, dithiaoctanediol, licorice extract, bearberry extract, metacarpus scaber extract, beta carotene and vitamin C. Bleaching skin creams do offer a lot of uses for skin lightening. You may use them but better take note of their components first so as to avoid further damage on the skin.
You can whiten your skin in many ways, both artificial and natural methods are viable. Staying away from the sunlight can make your skin light supple and smooth. Keep protecting your skin using best sunscreen lotions and creams, hat and even walk under an umbrella while making long distances. There is no clear evidence that diet contributes to skin whitening. Though there are food substances that can make your skin soft and smooth free from dead skin. Non oily foods with more vitamins are recommendable. Take sufficient amount of water to keep your skin hydrated as well as carrying away accumulated chemicals and toxins. Bleaching skin cream products such as skin lightening pills, skin bleaching soap and skin lightening supplements. They should be approved by FDA for quality and health safety. Hydroquinone substance and Mercury are among the substances that can cause side effects while in excessive amounts.