| The dilemma of individuals affected by | | | | better. Wearing sunscreen is a must, whether |
| hyperpigmentation problems lies not only in | | | | you're using skin lightening products or not. Avoid |
| choosing a good product, but the proper way to | | | | overexposure to the sun particularly between |
| lighten skin. A successful skin lightening or | | | | 10am-3pm. Remember, sunscreen does not block |
| whitening regimen does not rely on the products | | | | all UVA or UVB rays. Even in the shade, the sun's |
| alone. Let me tell you why. | | | | rays can penetrate, so it's best to protect your |
| Skin lightening products have grown in demand as | | | | skin physically through hats/sunglasses and long |
| the answer for uneven pigmentation such as | | | | sleeved shirts for extended sun exposure. |
| melasma, age spots, freckles, dark underarms, | | | | 3. Take 500mg Vitamin C supplement daily. A |
| knees, elbows or inner thighs. Regardless of race | | | | daily dose of at least 500mg ascorbic acid is a |
| or skin color, it concerns a lot of people caused | | | | powerful antioxidant helps promote healthy skin |
| by the skin's melanin content. Melanin, in its | | | | and inhibits the production of melanin. Others take |
| simplest definition, defines the color of our skin. | | | | it with whitening pills, but will take months to see |
| Here are four vital factors to lighten skin | | | | results. Your best bet is an intake of this |
| effectively: | | | | supplement plus the use of good skin lightening |
| | | | products. |
| 1. A good skin lightening product should be safe | | | | 4. Use your favorite moisturizers with skin |
| and potent. Ingredients such as hydroquinone, | | | | lighteners. Exfoliated skin that is resurfaced as a |
| mercury and steroids are harmful substances, and | | | | result of the skin lightening procedure needs |
| banned for use in Europe and Asia. Studies | | | | hydration to give a rosy, whiter effect. Simply |
| showed that hydroquinone is carcinogenic and can | | | | use your moisturizers 5-10 minutes after the |
| cause skin cancer. Although some contain an | | | | application of the skin lightening products. |
| approved 2% content, cautious people choose not | | | | Another alternative to treat dark skin spots is |
| to buy. Mercury, on the other hand, poisons the | | | | laser treatment but the price tag can cost over a |
| bloodstream, while steroids cause skin thinning and | | | | thousand dollars. And expensive skin products |
| produces stretch marks. The safer ingredients are | | | | don't necessarily imply more effective than the |
| natural plant extracts known to deliver good skin | | | | more economical ones. There are safer, cheaper |
| lightening results, such as kojic acid (from | | | | and better ways to do it as described above. |
| mushroom), licorice (plant extract), and papain | | | | In most Asian, African and Latin American |
| (papaya fruit). Potency is another issue because | | | | countries, fair skin radiates an aura of |
| most commercial products show little or no | | | | sophistication. On the contrary, skin tanning is the |
| results, ineffective or just a waste of money. | | | | opposite trend in the United States. Although skin |
| 2. Choose a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and | | | | lightening or bleaching is more criticized in the US, |
| UVB rays, because not all sunscreens block both | | | | both skin lightening and skin tanning are inclined on |
| rays. The UVA rays are responsible for skin | | | | the same solutions - even skin tone, higher self |
| cancer, aging and tanning of our skin. The UVB | | | | esteem, or just aesthetic preferences. Fair |
| rays burn out skin. Good ingredients are | | | | women would still stand out than bronzed whites |
| Parsol1789 (at least 3%), Titanium Dioxide, Zinc | | | | visiting Asian countries. The only real difference |
| Oxide or Mexoryl-Sx. The higher the SPF, the | | | | lies in one's cultural identity and tradition. |