Skin Lightening Creams & Bleaching Products
It's a common problem: darkened, discolored skin with patches of uneven tones. Whether it's caused by overexposure to the sun, pregnancy hormones, or just due to hereditary causes, darkened skin is still an annoyance that can adversely affect your self esteem and your happiness in social situations. Recent advances in products that are designed to lighten and brighten the skin now provide options in treatment for uneven and discolored skin. While most skin lightening products are in the form of creams, skin lightening supplements that are taken orally are also available.
Skin Lightening Pills
Over-the-counter skin lightening pills are readily available from a number of different manufacturers. While the ingredients found in skin lightening pills can vary considerably from one product to the next, many of these oral pills rely on a substance called glutathione as the primary active ingredient. While glutathione is a potent antioxidant that helps to fight free radicals in the cells of the body, there is little conclusive evidence that it is effective in lightening the skin.
Other ingredients commonly found in skin lightening pills include Vitamin C and Alpha-Linolenic Acid. Vitamin C is another helpful antioxidant that provides an overall health benefit, but it is not clear that this ingredient when taken internally helps to resolve dark or uneven skin tone. Alpha-Linolenic Acid is an essential fatty acid that has links to lowering the incidence of heart disease and certain types of cancer, but again, there is no concrete evidence that Alpha-Linolenic Acid provides any skin lightening benefit.
Skin Lightening Side Effects
Certain skin lightening products need to be approached with extreme caution due to the potential side effects associated with their use. Hydroquinone, for example, is the primary active ingredient found in many skin lightening creams, but this substance has been classified as a known carcinogen and is banned for use in skin care products in the United Kingdom, France, and several other countries. While hydroquinone is still available in skin lightening creams in the U.S., this may not be the case for long; the FDA has recommended that hydroquinone be banned from cosmetic products sold in the U.S.
Another dangerous substance that is found in many brands of skin lightening cream is mercury in the form of ammoniated mercury or mercury chloride. Both of these substances are classified as toxic and carcinogenic, so any skin lightening cream with mercury on its list of ingredients should be avoided.
Best Skin Lightening Cream
There are several ingredients that have been studied for safety and effectiveness as skin lightening agents; the topical application of Asafetida Extract, Kojic Acid Ester, and Vitamin C have all been shown to produce results when applied regularly to discolored or uneven skin. In addition, no harmful side effects are associated with the topical use of these ingredients.
To see brighter, lighter skin within just a few short weeks without risking harmful side effects, look for a skin lightening cream that contains these powerful, yet safe ingredients.