MUST READ: Skin Lighteners – A Good Idea Or Not?

453

Various creams are available for people to use to lighten their skin. These skin lighteners can be used by people to naturally lighten their skin color if they have dark skin, and they are also used to fix trouble spots on the skin caused by acne, or discolored areas that have occurred for whatever reason.

The skin lightening products work by reducing the melanin in the skin. The melanin is the pigment molecule that is made by cells called melanocytes, and it is what is responsible for skin tone, although other factors such as amount of sun exposure and hormones also impact your skin color.

You may be wondering how safe skin lighteners are. In fact, there are some potential dangers with using skin lightening products, particularly if you use a lot on large parts of your body. This is because in some cases, the skin cream may contain harmful chemicals such as mercury.

Other skin lighteners routinely contain 2% or even up to 6% hydroquinone. Some researchers have suggested that hydroquinone may be carcinogenic, meaning that it can cause cancer and therefore should not be used in skin creams (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01218.x).

Other lighteners may contain steroids or retinoic acid. These may also help to fade trouble spots on the skin. The retinoic acid is actually a derivative of vitamin A.

Skin lighteners should be used with caution and it is a good idea to first check with a dermatologist before buying any over-the-counter skin lightener. The dermatologist may also write a prescription for a product that will best suit your skin problem.

OTHER SKIN TREATMENT OPTIONS

There are various treatments that you can use on your skin that can be helpful in keeping a youthful appearance. It is also a good idea if you have pale skin to avoid excessive sun exposure, particularly, if you live in an area of the world that receives a lot of strong sunshine. It is recommended that you avoid sun exposure during the hours of 10am and 2pm and that you wear sunblock or protective clothing. The use of tanning beds should also be avoided as these also damage the skin.

The aim is to keep your skin looking young, and there are ways to accomplish this. For example, procedures such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and even laser resurfacing can be done to help aging skin.

There are also additional cosmetic procedures that are available to help restore the skin; for example, you can have botox injections done or injections of hyaluronic acid into the skin. Such dermal fillers work well to remove the appearance of wrinkles. There are also face lift and neck lift procedures that can be done to help give you back the youthful face you once had. These procedures reverse the look of aging by tightening up the loose skin that results as you age.

In conclusion, you should be careful when using skin lighteners since they may be toxic, and there are also various treatment options you can choose from to help your skin look young.