An offshoot of laser treatment is intense pulsed light (IPL), in which high-intensity pulses of a broad wavelength (515-1200 nm) of light deliver it to the skin, targeting the cells containing melanin. IPL has been shown to work well for greatly improving or rid­ding the skin of brown discolorations. (Source: Annals of Plastic Surgery, November […]

Pigment deep in the dermis does not respond well to topical agents. Resurfacing proce­dures such as chemical peels and liquid nitrogen can be helpful but recurrences often hap­pen too quickly for patient satisfaction. As a result, intense pulsed light devices (IPL) and laser treatments have far outpaced these other procedures. While IPLs and laser treatments […]

Vitamin C is considered a stable and effective antioxidant for skin. For skin lightening, several studies have shown it can have benefit for inhibiting melanin production. What complicates the issue of vitamin C is that the vitamin has many forms, and these are used in skin-care products in a wide variety of concentrations. Some of […]

Plant-derived or natural-oriented skin-care ingredients send out a definite siren song to consumers. Anyone developing “natural” alternatives to hydroquinone has an eager audi­ence ready and willing to give them a try. To that end the number of new ingredients that are cropping up is seemingly endless. The following are a few of the ingredients, with […]

Arbutin is a hydroquinone derivative isolated from the leaves of the bearberry shrub, cranberry, blueberry, and most types of pears, and serves a similar purpose. Because of arbutin’s hydroquinone content it can have melanin-inhibiting properties (Source: Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, February 1996, pages 765-769). Although the research describing arbutin’s effectiveness is persuasive (even […]

Azelaic acid is a derivative of grains such as wheat, rye, and barley, yet while it has a natural origin it is created from oleochemicals (chemicals derived from oils or fats). It is considered very effective when applied topically in a cream formulation at a 15% to 20% concentration, and should be considered for a […]

A by-product of the fermentation process of malting rice for use in the manufacture of sake, Japanese rice wine, kojic acid definitely has convincing research, both in vitro and in vivo and in animal studies, showing that it is effective for inhibiting melanin production. (Sources: Cellular Signaling, September 2002, pages 779-785; Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, […]

AHA and BHA products, in concentrations for AHAs between 4% to 10% and BHA in concentrations of 1% to 2%, can be effective by not only accelerating cell turnover of the top layers of skin but also by directly inhibiting melanin formation. That makes them a formidable asset in reducing or eliminating the appearance of […]

A great deal of research shows that the use of tretinoin, a derivative of vitamin A found in the prescription-only topical creams such as Renova or Retin-A, is effective in treating skin discolorations. However, the response to treatment is less marked than with other topical treatments such as hydroquinone or azelaic acid. Results can also […]