Hyperpigmentation, dark spots? Have you ever noticed how some celebrities look a little too ashy when they lighten their skin? Skin lightening is a very personal matter, and the decision to do so should be taken very seriously. If done the wrong way, it could result in the “ashen” look, or worse- skin and health issues.

There are many reasons for wanting to lighten skin, and many options for achieving it. But before I can continue discussing how to lighten skin, let’s talk about some of the reasons why we use skin lighteners.

One of the main reasons for using skin lighteners is to get rid of dark spots or uneven skin tone. Scientifically, this is called Hyperpigmentation. Basically, what happens is that the cells that give our skin that luscious brown color – melanin – is overproduced in certain areas on the skin. This overproduction results in dark spots.

Some of the most common causes of hyperpigmentation include side effects from using some birth control pills, pregnancy, pimples, bug bites, and other cuts and trauma to the skin, including overexposure to the sun and ingrown hairs.

How do we prevent hyperpigmentation, dark spots and uneven skin tone? Simple.

• Don’t pick your skin,
• Don’t live a stressful lifestyle
• Don’t get pimples,
• Use bug spray when outdoors,
• Don’t get ingrown hairs, and
• Don’t get hurt.

Right. Get real.

Since most of us have lives, that “simple” solution is most likely impossible. So, a couple of better questions to ask are “How do we get rid of hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone when I do get them?” and “Are there any natural skin lighteners I can use to safely lighten my skin?”

First, getting dark spots is not the end of the world …

So let’s put things in perspective and relax because guess what? Yes – stress can also cause uneven skin tone.

When you do notice some dark spots or uneven skin tone, A LOT of you try to get rid of them in a few ways.

• You go the chemical route and go to a specialist who can treat you with hydroquinone. There are over-the-counter options for DIY’ers, but I DO NOT recommend. Any miscalculation can make things worse. It’s just not worth the risk in my book. Also, hydroquinone cannot be used by pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant. You can use it only for 6 weeks at a time, and after treatment, you have to be super-vigilant about sun exposure or you will get burned. It’s been banned in Europe, and the FDA is working to ban it in the US.

• You use a hydroquinone-free skin lightener, with salicylic acid and hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid. As with hydroquinone, there are risks and side effects. Be aware of products that contain MERCURY. Mercury causes cancer, kidney failure, and many other awful health issues – so no mercury. Also, no steroids – they will suppress your immune system and make you sick.

• You get laser treatments, which can be quite costly, time consuming, and results are not guaranteed.

What if you were more patient with your approach? You would know that:

• A good skin care regimen would be the first place to start. Cleanse, tone, moisturize and exfoliate.

• The foods you eat are just as important as the products you use on your face. Feeding your skin internally builds healthy cells that nourish and replenish your skin offering you a more flawless appearance.

• Ridding yourself of stress – easier said than done – will help your body be at ease thereby not producing toxic conditions that cause discoloration in your skin.

• If you are patient (because this won’t happen overnight), but want to stay on the safe side when it comes to your skin, you can use a natural skin lightener. Look for these ingredients in your product purchases: willow bark, bilberry extract, kojic acid, licorice root extract, strawberry fruit extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A (this is retinol so be careful with this one), and Vitamin B3. You won’t find them all in the same product mix, however, if two or three top the list and don’t have unrecognizable words below them, you could be off to a good start.

Summing things up …

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. See the beauty in yourself and your natural radiance will shine through every time.
That’s it for this week. As always …

Dedicated to Your Beauty

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Author/Publisher
Nyraju Skin Care