Skin lightening products work by reducing the amount of melanin pigment in the skin.
Most people who use lightening products do so to treat skin problems such as age spots, acne scars and skin discoloration that’s related to hormonal changes. They can also be used to lighten overall skin tone by several shades.
This type of product needs to be applied with care, as over-applying can cause a blotchy complexion. You should also do a patch test, before applying any kind of lightening cream to a large area of the skin, in order to prevent a severe allergic reaction.
What to look for in a Skin Lightening Product
When hormone or sun induced skin discoloration occurs, the best treatment option can be a well formulated skin lightening product. However these whitening lotions do come with risks.
As with any new product, you’ll want to be sure that you read the label and know the facts about the product before you apply it to your skin. You want to take special care to read the ingredient list and avoid anything with ingredients that have safety concerns, such as hydroquinone and mercury.
Up until fairly recently it was thought that in order to be considered a high quality and effective product, it should contain hydroquinone. However research done in more recent years has shown that there are some serious concerns regarding the safety of using hydroquinone in products for lightening the skin.
Hydroquinone has already been banned in many countries and its use is currently being questioned in others, including the USA. If it is still being used in lightening creams where you live, it is advisable not to use these products without consulting a doctor or dermatologist first.
An alternative and safe lightening agent, kojic acid, is now being used in many of the top lightening serums and creams.
In order for a skin whitening product to be effective, it should also be packaged correctly to protect the active ingredients from air and light exposure which can cause them to breakdown and become ineffective.
It also needs to contain smoothing ingredients and antioxidants, in order to enhance skin health. And finally it shouldn’t contain any irritating agents, such as alcohol.
Some skin lightening creams also contain butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) which help to remove uneven layers or sun damaged skin. Products with BHA can also help to prevent breakouts.
What if the Lightening Cream Doesn’t Work?
In order to experience the best results, when using a lightening or bleaching product, you’ll need to use sunscreen daily. For the best results, apply the skin lightening cream to the affected areas twice daily, after thoroughly cleaning the area and before you use a moisturizer or sunscreen.
Sunscreen should always be applied last and reapplied every two to three hours. This will increase the likelihood that the lightening cream will work effectively. Of course, sunscreen is only necessary if you are lightening an area that is going to be exposed to the sun, such as face or hands.
Unfortunately however, even the best bleaching creams from the best manufacturers don't work for every single person. There is no way to know, with 100% certainty, that the product you buy will actually work well enough for you. We are all different, some people get very quick results with a particular product while others try the same product for weeks to no avail.
Therefore the best thing to do is to only purchase from reputable companies that have a lot of good reviews and a solid money back guarantee.
One of our favorite products, is a skin lightening cream called Protege Luminate, which comes with an amazing 365 day no questions asked money back guarantee and brilliant customer support. You can try it absolutely risk free.
While Luminate is a very good choice for general skin discoloration problems such as age spots, freckles and acne scars; for intimate area bleaching (nipples, vagina, penis or anus) we recommend using a product designed especially for these areas. For more information about this increasingly popular type of skin bleaching, you can read our article here about anal bleaching.
Last Updated : September 3rd, 2022
Debby Lee is the founder and main author of Mylighterskin.com
She is a full-time website manager and freelance writer, with more than ten years of experience. She is an expert writer in the areas of health and beauty, with a special interest in skincare.
