Women and men can be odd when it comes to skincare.  The caucasians want darker skin while the darker skinned women, including Asians, want whiter, fairer skin.

Skincare news has it that as a result, skin cancer has become a concern in colder countries, following sun bathing and tanning practices that have become prevalent in those societies.  On the other hand, those residing in warmer countries have been unnecessarily exposing themselves to toxic chemicals.

What Women Want: Whiter Skin

Must it be feared?  Is it another skin treatment catastrophe in the making just like skin tanning was in the 80s?

Below are top 10 Things you Need to Know if your Goal is to Achieve Whiter Skin:

1.  In Asia Pacific, figures in 2014 show that sales in skin whitening products made up half of the sales in skincare.  Hardly is there any skincare product sold in Asia that does not claim to whiten skin.

2.  In the US, mercury has been banned from all skincare products, including sin whitening products, since the 1990s.  It made the headlines in skincare news as mercury apparently is able to deeply sink into skin and build up organ toxicity over the longer term. Prolonged use of mercury-containing products have been shown to cause failure of kidneys as well as neurotoxicity.

3.  Hydroquinone was once considered as the gold standard in skin whitening, in as much the same way that retinol was hailed for inhibiting and reversing wrinkles.  Today, it is banned in many parts of the world, including in Europe and Japan, because it is a suspected carcinogen.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, has taken a status quo stance on the matter, which continues to make hydroquinone available in the market — 2% concentrations and below can be bought over-the-counter while above 2% requires prescription.

4.  The worldwide controversy over hydroquinone has prompted manufacturers of skin whitening products to seek other ingredients to replace hydroquinone.  Even in the US where hydroquinone remains available, alternative whitening products that instead contain botanicals such as arbutin and kojic acid have taken over a significant chunk of the market.

5.  Other currently widely used skin whitening actives include Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Niacinamide — the three most powerful antioxidants.  This trio combination is capable of multiple functions, all contributing to a brighter and lighter skin complexion.  These ingredients act to protect skin from the formation of dark spots by neutralizing free radicals, power up cells for a faster skin cell turnover, and improves microcirculation.  Active White Skin Whitening folds in Vitamin C to deliver whiter skin.

6.  Retinol is a powerful melanin inhibiting ingredient too.  It has become a favorite in whitening creams and products.  As a bonus, retinol raises collagen production levels that aids in skin turnover and renewal.

7.  Laser peel is a safer skin whitening alternative procedure that offers a highly targeted treatment for inhibiting melanin formation and breaking down dark spots to lighten it.

8.  Oral supplements like glutathione and metathione have also gained popularity as skin whitening ingredients.  Both have been originally used as medications for people with liver problems where the side effect was lighter skin.  The US FDA has warned against potential overdose and advised users to limit intake to 500 mg a day only, and look for FDA approved brands.  The same notice also included a public warning against the use of glutathione IV or injectables which, the FDA said, is not meant to be used for skin whitening.  Active White Skin Whitening offers a topical, better use of L-glutathione.

9.  A clinical procedure that masks the skin in kojic acid and has been shown to whiten skin and dark spots, Cosmelan, can also be a safer option. The first procedure is performed in the clinic while the rest is performed at home.

10.  Chemical peels may be a better option over skin bleaching. Nevertheless, these procedures still carry the risk of causing permanent, irreversible discoloration of the skin.  Women and men with much darker skin should be more cautious.  So, make sure to avail this procedure only from a certified professional.

Conclusion

Skin whitening may be a natural desire and personal preference of beauty.  Vanity, however, is never a good enough reason to risk your own health and safety.  Make sure you know your options well before taking any risk.  It’s for your own good.