Skin Whitening Zeal - The Fight Against Black Enzyme
Do you know what is the biggest enemy of skin's natural
fairness? The answer is simple: black enzymes.
Do you know that Asian skin is more prone to dark spots? Skin
color is determined by the amount of pigment (or melanin)
present. Asian skin contains a heterogeneous mix of 2 types of
melanin - phaeomelanin and eumelanin - that results in
pigmentation irregularities such as dark spots and increased
sensitivity to sunlight.
Over the past years, aesthetics companies and medical
professionals have been introducing numerous skin whitening
innovations into the consumer market, ranging from high-end
niche treatments to budget skin whitening solutions, all of
which promise to deliver that desirable lightening result on
your skin, to give you that lovely fair skin that you have
always wanted.
When it comes to fashion, you choose what fits you. With such an
overwhelming range of skin whitening options available, how do
you decide which is the real effective skin whitening solution
that is going to work for you? Savvy consumers will know that it
is not sufficient to just choose the best skin whitening product
/ treatment, you have to choose the skin whitening product /
treatment that works best for you.
Consumers can consider the following guidelines when they are
looking for a skin whitening remedy or are already in the midst
of a skin whitening course:
1. Identify your problem
- There are many types of facial pigmentation. The most common
types are freckles, solar lentigines (or age spots), melasma and
Hori's naevus. Many have a genetic basis, although factors like
sunlight, ageing and hormones also play an important role. By
identifying the source of your problem, you will know how to
pick out the product / treatment that is going to help you
rectify it.
2. Have some basic knowledge about skin whitening
ingredients
- Every company has its own specialty skin whitening ingredients
that are responsible for delivering that miracle on your skin.
But how do you know that some of these virtually unknown
ingredients are going to do the trick? A savvy consumer should
not be going to a counter and take at face value in what the
salesperson says during that 10 - 20 minutes of sales talk.
Instead, listen to the salesperson, take a step back, do some
simple research on the ingredients or talk to your dermatologist
to see if this particular skin whitening product is going to be
useful in solving your problem. There is no point buying a
product whose only effects are to moisturize and provide your
skin with UV protection when what you actually need is a product
that can lighten melasma.
3. Be a responsible consumer
- Broadly speaking, it is possible to prevent / reduce skin
pigmentation because many types of pigmentation are induced and
aggravated by sunlight, therefore a suitable product and
sufficient sun protection can delay the onset of skin
pigmentation or improve the appearance. Using a skin lightening
product may help improve the pigmentation, but regular use of
sunscreen and active sun avoidance is also compulsory and should
be undertaken responsibly.
4. Understand that not every product / treatment works for
everyone
- Topical skin lightening products are effective for melasma.
However, laser therapy does not work very well for melasma. In
fact, laser may sometime cause temporary darkening
(post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), which can last several
months. On the other hand, laser therapy is effective for
pigmentation such as freckles, solar lentigines and Hori's
naevus.
5. Talk to a medical professional when necessary
- Besides sunlight, certain types of pigmentation - specifically
melasma and Hori's naevus - can be stimulated and worsened by
hormonal factors, for example during pregnancy, taking oral
contraceptives or hormone replacement. In such cases, topical
skin whitening products will not be able to rectify the problems
effectively. Instead of hopping from one product to another and
exposing your skin to further damages, talk to a medical
professional who will advise the appropriate treatment options
for you. Solve the problem when it is at the early stage, not
when it gets out of hand.