- Categories: Skin Whitening
- Tags: Accumulation, Age Factors, Age Spots, Blemishes, Dark Skin, Dermatologist, Expanse, Flawless Skin, Freckles, Inner Thigh, Insect Bites, Lesions, Pigmentation, Repe, Several Ways, Skin Color, Skin Patches, Skin Pigment, Thigh Area, What Is Melanin
Although a lot of us dream of flawless skin, the truth is that most people, regardless of ethnicity and skin color, have pigment blemishes on their skin. The discolored small or large patches might be considered aesthetically unappealing and most people would like to get rid of these spots. To understand how to lighten your blemishes you need to understand that these spots or patches are nothing more than accumulation of melanin.
What is melanin?
Melanin is the substance that gives color to your skin. Ideally, melanin concentration should be even across the entire expanse of your skin but this is seldom the case. Various environmental, dietary, hereditary and age factors contribute towards the formation of these spots and blemishes. These lesions or spots have different names depending on the cause. Melasma, hyperpigmentation, freckles are some of the various names that refer to these blemishes.
How do I rid myself of these spots?
Any dermatologist will tell you that pigment problems are extremely difficult to get rid of. But there is hope. There have been various advances in the field of pigment research and there are a number of remedies that can effectively remove the excess pigment and prevent the re-accumulation of melanin on the skin.
Are all pigment problems basically the same? Can I use the same treatment for various pigment problems?
There are several ways to get rid of spots or patches of hyperpigmentation. Pigmentation could be hormonal in nature like melasma, dark underarms, dark skin patches on the neck or inner thigh area and age spots. Once these spots or patches of dark skin have lightened, you will need to continue some sort of maintenance regimen due to the hormonal nature of the problem. Stopping treatment as soon as these spots have disappeared will cause them to reoccur in a few months. There are certain other kinds of spots or patchy skin caused by trauma to the skin by insect bites, shaving, acne or repeated pressure to certain areas of skin. These patches or spots once lightened usually don’t return.
What are the various ways I can use to get rid of these blemishes?
There are three ways to get rid of these blemishes.
Mechanical: Mechanical methods work best when the pigmentation is recent and superficial. Those who don’t exfoliate their skin on a regular basis will also see good results. There are various derma-abrasion kits available in your local pharmacy that could help gently exfoliate the area. Micro-derma abrasion cloths are also a good option as they remove dead skin cells very gently. Exfoliating encourages skin cell turnover ensuring that fresher and more even toned skin surfaces. However, one needs to be careful when exfoliating because over exfoliation or over zealous use of mechanical methods can actually increase the darkness of blemishes.
Skin peels: Peels work to invisibly remove the “glue” that holds the surface skin together and encourages exfoliation without any need for mechanical interference. Peels used to be administered at a doctor’s office and some strong peels are still only available to medical or aesthetic specialists. Nowadays there are various kinds of peels available online and even at low concentrations over the counter. The right choice of peel depend on the nature of the problem, the depth of pigmentation and the general health of the skin. Certain peels can go as deep as the dermis (deepest layer of the skin) to lighten skin from the inside out. Certain peels along with their exfoliating capabilities also target abnormal pigment cells and work to uniform skin tone.
Skin Lightening Agents: Skin lightening agents penetrate the skin to destroy extra melanin and give skin an appearance of being even toned. There are various skin lightening agents identified by scientists and herbalists and many of them work very well on skin blemishes. Different skin whitening agents have different modes of action. Some work to destroy melanin, some work to prevent the transfer of melanin from the deepest layer of the skin to the surface, still others interfere with the actual production of melanin. There are a few chemical agents actually destroy the melanin creating cells called melanocytes. These should never be used for skin blemishes unless one has depigmentation problems. The best methods entail the use of herbal or natural skin lighteners that are used in a combination so as to affect the whole production cycle of melanin.
A combination of the right peel or exfoliation combined with the right combination of skin lightening agents can effectively lighten even the toughest pigment spots.
By: Sheila Ray
- Categories: Skin Whitening
- Tags: African American Women, Dark Areas, Dark Skin, Destructive Impact, Fatigues, Fungal Infection, Harsh Ingredients, Kidney Damage, Melanin, Memory Loss, Mercury Poisoning, Natural Skin Color, No Doubt, Pigmentation Disorders, Pigments, Skin Cancer, Skin Complexion, Skin Structure, Stretch Marks, Use Of Steroids
Many African-American women desire a lighter skin complexion, and a skin that is even and toned. There are lots of women who are fighting with dark spots on their skin and dark areas, and although black is beautiful, blotchy pigments and unhealthy skin is unwanted.
Regardless of what the reasons may be, there is no doubt that the use of skin lightning creams is becoming more and more popular among people with dark skin. But this doesn’t mean that any cream on the shelf is safe for you and your skin. Many creams still use harsh ingredients and chemicals such as mercury, steroids and hydroquinone. This might not mean a lot to you, but it can actually have a destructive impact on your skin. Even if you are using these types of creams and lotions without seeing any side effects, you should probably know the dangers of the substances.
Hydroquinone for example, does not make your skin lighter nor bleaches your skin. Hydroquinone actually interferes with your skin structure, altering your natural state and limiting the production of melanin – the substance responsible for your natural skin color. It means that you take away your skin’s natural protection, making it vulnerable to skin cancer. The use of hydroquinone is dangerous and it is even illegal in several countries around the world.
Mercury. Nobody can deny that mercury lightens dark spots, but nobody can also deny the dangers of using mercury. Mercury poisoning is very dangerous and include anything bad you can imagine, starting from headaches, fatigues and memory loss and even severe kidney damage. Mercury based cream can also cause rashes, irritation and changes to the skin. Long term effects are impossible to reverse.
Steroids. The use of steroids can cause skin thinning and create deep stretch marks. Steroids side effects are associated with cellulites, eczema, fungal infection, even acne and further pigmentation disorders.
Before you decide on a lightning cream and skin lightning products, you should read the ingredients list and see if the product is safe or not. There are many natural products on market, products that are derived from plant extracts such as mulberry leaves, lemon leaves, wheat germ and corn. None of the products contain hydroquinone and the active ingredient is called Vegeclarine, a plant derivative. Some products also contain caviar extracts, a unique ingredient that helps lighten the skin.
Makari De Suisse makes a wonderful Caviar Face Lightening – a high performance brightening treatment that intensively targets hyper-pigmentation to give the skin an extraordinary radiance and beautiful even coloration. This cream works gradually, without painful surgery or toxic chemicals. The duo-moisturizing complexion enhancing cream relieves you from the appearance of expression lines and crows feet.
Caviar extracts contains proteins, essential amino acids that are substantial for cell metabolism. Communication between the cells is supported and therefore the repair mechanism positively affected. The cream also provides moisture, cell metabolism stimulation and repair of skin damages.
Visit www.Makari.com and enhance your complexion naturally, with bleach and hydroquinone-free choice.
By: Mark Etinger
- Categories: Skin Whitening
- Tags: African Cultures, Asian Cultures, Classical Paintings, Dark Skin, Environmental Conditions, Equatorial Sun, Good Breeding, Laborers, Renaissance Europe, Sects, Self Image, Skin Color, Skin Lightening Products, Skin Pigmentation, Skin Pigmentations, Skin Pigments, Skin Tone, Spray On Tanning Products, Suitors, Tanning Bed
Throughout history fair, white skin has been a desirable physical attribute for a variety of societal and cultural reasons. In many Asian cultures, the look of porcelain white skin was considered a sign of good breeding or association with royalty or other elite cultural sects, particularly in women. Those members of the working classes often bore the look of laborers with skin tone that were darkened by exposure to the sun and soiled from daily work. Even in Renaissance Europe many classical paintings depict women who, aside from looking well fed and well clothed, had very fair complexions. Kabuki Theater in Japan features all male casts and the actors whose faces where adorned with white makeup, especially when portraying womens characters.
The desire to conform to this standard has driven many people on a search to whiten darker skin pigments, even in some African cultures where dark skin pigmentation was thought to be an adaptation to environmental conditions especially the heat of the equatorial sun. The modern practice of skin whitening has been the cause of some controversy as dark skin pigmented individuals seek to shed their dark skin color in an attempt to gain cultural acceptance in predominantly white European societies. Differences in opinion on the perceived benefits of skin whitening have even arisen in India where women have been encouraged to lighten their skin in order to look more Western and possibly more attractive to potential romantic suitors. It is somewhat ironic that in the United States and Europe, many people light skinned people seek to darken their skin color by tanning, either in the sun, using a tanning bed or employing spray-on tanning products.
Not all skin lightening is done to create a particular look for the sake of fashion. Many people suffer from medical conditions that cause uneven skin pigmentations that can have a very negative impact on ones self image and skin lightening products can have help to even out the skin tone and greatly enhance self image and self confidence. Skin pigment disorders can occur when too little or too much of a compound known as melanin. The more melanin that is present in the skins cells the darker skin pigment tend to be.
For as long as there has been a desire to lighten the skin there have been potions and treatments used to achieve the goal of lighter skin. Homemade solutions and potions with roots in folklore have existed for many, many years. Some of these solutions were benign and fairly harmless, while some could very hazardous. In response to the need for reliable products, the cosmetics market has seen an increase in the number, quality and price of such products. Some products have been criticized for containing levels of mercury that are potentially hazardous.
Sunscreen has been used to prevent the darkening of the skin that occurs through exposure to the sun. On the other extreme is the use of products that actually lighten or even whiten skin pigmentations. A common goal of most skin whitening products is to block or greatly reduce the amount of melanin produced in the skin. Many topically applied creams and lotions contain concentrations of hydroquinone sometimes in combination with other ingredients that may enhance the lightening effects. Cortizone is often the secondary ingrediant since contrizone acts as an anti-inflammatory. There are numerous compounds that are used as alternatives to hydroquinone with varying results.
Medical lasers have been used to treat medically recognized skin pigmentation disorders thought there is debate about the overall effectiveness of this treatment depending on the degree of pigmentation.
By: Mitch Endick