- Categories: Skin Whitening
- Tags: Age Spots, Birth Control, Birth Control Pill, Dark Patches, Different Things, Discoloration Of The Skin, Ethnic Background, Fact Of Life, Hormone Production, Hormones, Hyper Pigmentation, Ill Effects, Last Time, Lips, Long Periods Of Time, Melanin Production, Melasma, Occurrence, Skin Care, Skin Pigmentation
The last time you looked in the mirror did you notice any dark spots on the skin that did not belong there? Did you notice that there was some darkening in some areas of your face, neck or lips that was not the same color as the rest of your face? If you have been suffering from any of the above you may have what many in the skin care field call hyper pigmentation. While this big word sounds like it may have an equally big diagnosis, have no fear as the answer is that it does not. This is a common occurrence that has no other ill effects except for the outward appearance of discoloration.
Hyper pigmentation is a harmless occurrence that occurs when sections or patches of skin begin to get darker than other areas of the skin. This happens when the melanin in our skin, or what causes our skin to get darker, begins to form areas where the melanin builds up. This condition can affect people of any ethnic background regardless of the color of their skin. There are many different causes of discoloration. These can range from outside sources such as the sun to internal ones such as an excess of hormone production in the body.
One form of hyper pigmentation is age spots. These spots are natural and usually come with time. As the name indicates, age spots are a result of our skin aging as well as being exposed to the sun. It is just a fact of life that the older we get, so do our bodies. These spots usually affect our face and hands or other areas of our bodies that may be exposed to the sun for long periods of time.
Melasma is another form of discoloration that affects mostly women and can also be found during pregnancy or during the use of a birth control pill. The hormones seem to trigger an increase in melanin production and therefore cause the discoloration of the skin. Dark spots on the skin or dark patches on the skin can usually be found when hyper pigmentation or melasma is present.
Dark spots on the skin can result from different things. They can be from a birthmark or a freckle. Dark spots could be a result of acne or hormones. There are many different causes for hyper pigmentation, so it is vital that you keep track of any new or size changes of existing dark spots on the skin. While we have seen that for the most part, dark spots seem to be more of a cosmetic issue than anything, dark spots or discoloration could also be a warning sign of other issues. Don’t take any chances. If you start to notice dark spots, discoloration or size changes in spots, see your Doctor immediately to make sure it is not anything severe. If it is mainly a cosmetic issue, either your doctor can prescribe a treatment or you can try an over-the-counter skin lightener or whitener to help alleviate the stares. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
By: Cindy Charles
- Categories: Skin Whitening
- Tags: Carole Parker, Compresses, Cosmetologists, Cotton Wool, Cucumber, Face Skin, Glass Of Water, Lemon Juice, Napkins, Natural Skin, Original Skin, Parsley, Red Currant, Sauerkraut, Skin Pigmentation, Summer Face, Tea Spoon, Wad, Wheat Flour, Wine Vinegar
In summer face skin pigmentation becomes plainly visible. Those, who know what this is, agree with me that it is not good-looking. Are there any means helping to get rid of pigmental spots? Yes, there are some. Cosmetologists usually advise to use whitening and peeling means. Of course you can use natural means too. For example, lemon juice, viburnum juice, and also juice of red currant, sauerkraut, fresh cucumber, parsley, grapefruit. You always find the whitening mean in every season.
You’ll get the good result making compresses with wine vinegar and clabber. Wet wad of cotton wool in 5% solution of vinegar and put on the pigmental spot. In 10 minutes put compress from clabber mixed with wheat flour on the same place. Proportion is ¼ glass of clabber to 1 tea-spoon of flour. Make such compress every day for one week and then every other day. When spots become lighter use this procedure once a week.
Mask from sauerkraut can be made every day. Wet napkins in the juice of sauerkraut and put on the pigmental areas 3 times one by one for 10 minutes.
Mask from beans is easy-made and effective. Pour 1,5 glass of beans with 1,5 glass of water and keep to infuse for 36 hours. Then knead, squeeze and add juice of one lemon. Put this mixture on the face before going to bed. If skin is oily, make this mask every other day, if skin is dry, make mask twice a week. Find more original skin care recipes at Skin Care.
By: Carole Parker
- 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