Posts Tagged ‘Azelaic Acid’

Nov 22

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Considering Skin Whitening?

Are you thinking about skin whitening? Here are some things to consider.

Skin whitening has been in practice around the world for at least hundreds of years. While there are many different reasons people want to lighten the color of their skin, it’s a personal choice that some will make and some won’t.

Sometimes people get their skin whitened to have an effect on their social status, but other times it’s to help correct skin problems like discoloration, blotches and uneven skin tone.

Some might say that this is all about vanity, about people just wanting to look better and feel good about themselves. What’s wrong with that, though? Having clear, uniformly colored skin can go a long way to help with self-esteem.

With a high self-esteem, people feel more confident and as a result are capable of bigger and better things. So skin whitening might be connected to vanity, but it’s not necessarily a terrible thing.

There are a lot of different skin whitening techniques and creams out there using a wide array of substances. Hydroquinone, mercury, arbutin, tretinoin, kojic acid and azelaic acid are some of the things used in some topical ointments for skin lightening.

Some of those don’t sound that bad … but Mercury? That’s the stuff they use in thermometers and is highly toxic in the wrong doses! Are there alternatives if you want your skin whitened?

Lasers are also sometimes used in skin whitening, but with the technology available today, it’s not a very consistent way to lighten your skin pigmentation. They’ve been known to cause problems, especially for people with a darker natural skin color.

Another, some might say safer, way to skin whitening is a side effect of L-glutathione. Glutathione inhibits the production of melanin, which causes a lightening of skin color. It sounds a lot safer than products that contain mercury.

Whether or not to lighten your skin color is a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly. It should be a personal choice, though, not clouded too much by what other people might think.

You should still do your homework when thinking about having your skin whitened by any method. One idea is to try to go online and find other people who have had success with different methods of skin whitening.

To balance those people, you might also read about any people who may have had problems with various techniques at skin whitening. (Anyone have Michael Jackson’s email?!)

Other people might have their thoughts and opinions about skin whitening, but when all is said and done, it’s your choice as to whether or not it’s something for you. Skin whitening can go a long way in helping people feel better about themselves.

And when people feel better about themselves, they tend to feel better about other people and the world in general, making it an easier place for all of us to live.



By: Gen Wright

Oct 19

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Skin Whitening – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Hydroquinone has recently been banned from various countries after a recent study proving links with cancer.

But cancer is not the only health hazard associated with skin whitening. And many people are not fully aware of the possible dangers.

Using skin whitening products can damage the skin and cause it to loose its protective properties, leading to infections. The thinning of the skin caused by those products can also leave the skin with irreversible stretch marks
Other bleaching products can cause liver damage, visible blood vessels and hyperpigmentation amongst many other dangers.

A common result of skin bleaching is a condition called ocronosis in which the pigment drops into the dermis making it almost impossible to remove.

Many women who have had flawless complexions prior to using the creams develop this persistent, stubborn acne on their face with large papules and nodules.

Various types of allergic reactions to many of the ingredients can also leave the skin irreversibly damaged.

So, what’s safe and what’s not in the world of skin whitening?
The following are the findings from a report conducted on behalf of SW+SS Skin Whitening by Dr Jonathan Lindenberg, skincare adviser.

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-Alpha Hydroxic Acids, like lactic acid and glycolic acid are safe to use under 10% concentration. Concentrations higher than 10% are only to be used by dermatologists and trained cosmetologists.

-Arbutin. It contains the chemical glucosylated hydroquinone. Like many other skin whitening products, no studies have been made regarding its toxicity, but there are fears that it can have the same links with cancer found in hydroquinone.

-Azelaic acid. It can be a skin and eye irritant, but it’s believed that there is no risk to health associated with this ingredient.

-Hydroquinone. Although Hydroquinone is a very strong inhibitor of melanin production, it has been banned from various countries due to the link found with cancer. It is considered to be an irritant above 4% concentration and can be an unstable ingredient in formulations of cosmetic products. Some scientists have also proposed that hydroquinone poisoning can lead to a lower IQ and verbal difficulties.

-Kojic acid. Testing on mice has proven that there is evidence on the carcinogenicity of kojic acid, but no studies have been made yet on the effects on humans.

-Mercury. Highly Toxic. Both an acute and chronic poison. Mercury poisoning has been linked to kidney failure, nervous system disorders, and mental disturbance as well as autism. Its carcinogenicity has been well documented. It has been banned from most countries.

-Tretinoin. It is made from Vitamin A. It has been recorded to cause thinning and dryness of the skin. Sensitive skin types can also experience redness, scaling, itching and burning.

-Vitamin C. Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, L-glutathione, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucosamine, and ascorbic acid are the various anti oxidants that have been found to have positive effects in reducing melanin production in concentrations higher than 5%. It is believed to be one of the safest whitening products in the market.

By: Jonathan Lindenberg

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