In the early 20th century, cosmetics and skin care treatments were made at home from fruits, herbs, and vegetables. A century later, manufacturers and consumers are returning to the notion that natural is healthier, and the holistic approach to skin care is in demand. A 47.3% increase in the demand for alternative remedies occurred between […]

Unsaturated fatty acids [oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3)], suppress pigmentation in vitro. A clinical study done with Korean women using topical linoleic acid showed significant improvement in melasma (28). Idebenone Idebenone, a potent antioxidant, is a benzoquinone that has shown depigmenting properties in pilot studies of patients with melasma and […]

Topical skin lightening cosmeceuticals are becoming more popular. They have been used alone and in combination therapy. In medical practice they are sometimes used as maintenance agents, and very seldom used in patients who are unable to tolerate various prescription medications or in place of other properties such as antioxidants, anti-aging products, or moisturizers. Commonly […]

Ascorbic acid. The stable ester of ascorbic acid (ascorbyl) is used in treating hyperpigmentation. It acts on the melanogenesis cascade, interacting with copper ions to reduce dopaquinone and block dihydrochinindol-2-carboxyl acid oxidation (22). When objective measures were used in a double-blind, randomized trial study to determine efficacy, ascorbic acid (Mg L-ascorbyl-2 phosphate) in a 10% […]

4-N-butylresorcinol has been approved in Japan, where it is used to treat melasma. This compound decreases PIH following laser therapy in melasma patients. Aloesin Aloesin a low-molecular-weight ingredient of latex exudates and glycoproteins from aloe vera gel. Aloesin is a hydroxychromone that inhibits tyrosinase at non-toxic concentrations. In vivo, aloesin inhibits UV-induced melanogenesis (13,14). NON-PHENOLIC […]

4-isopropylcatechol has been known as a potent depigmenting agent for more than 35 years. Like other phenolic compounds, it is a tyrosinase inhibitor. In a study done in the early 1970s, most of the melasma patients treated showed skin irritation, and atopic dermatitis. Yet two-thirds also showed significant improvement (5). Due to its specific mechanism […]

See Tables 3, 4, and 5. PHENOLIC DEPIGMENTING AGENTS Hydroquinone Hydroquinone, a phenolic compound, is considered the gold standard depigmenting agent. Multiple studies have shown its efficacy in the treatment of many different types of hyperpigmented lesions (3). Monomethyl of Hydroquinone Monomethyl of hydroquinone, also known as 4-hydroxyanisole, mequinol, 4-methoxyphenol, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, and p-hydroxyanisole, […]

Marta I. Rendon Dermatology and Aesthetic Center and University of Miami, Miami, and Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, U. S.A. Jorge I. Gaviria Medical Hair Research Group, Inc. and Clinical Research, Skin Care Research, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, U. S.A. INTRODUCTION When approaching a patient with a pigmentary disorder, four issues must be taken […]

Tyrosinase activity can be greatly inhibited by cinnamic acid, aloin, and sophorcarpidine, of which sophorcarpidine functions as an uncompetitive inhibitor, compared to aloin and cinnamic acid, which are mixed-type inhibitors (67). Tan et al. (67) demonstrated that sophorcarpidine, aloin, and cinnamic acid can not only bind to the enzyme, but also to the enzyme-substrate complex […]