The Shocking Facts About Otc Skin Whitening Creams
After a period of 8 years, I finally met up with Judith
, my ex-classmate. The last time we met each other was when we we received our honorary degrees in business admin at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. We were discussing about her annoyances with her skin and she was angry and started complaining about the dark patches on her arms and face.
She talked about how she used to spend her summers at the pool oogling at the cute boys while soaking up the sun. That's the problem with too much sun. You don't really see the repercussions on your skin until years later and by then, it is too late to regret. It is so bad to be out in the sun too much these days.
My friend is using an over-the-counter skin lightening cream that contains alpha hydroxy acid. However, she has yet to see any improvement on her spots.
She was thinking of opting for cosmetic surgery but that costs an arm and a leg. She just can't afford to spend that kind of money. With the tough economic situation these days, you have to forgo certain luxuries. I can tell she still have hopes in finding an OTC remedy to fade her dark spots. This makes me wonder which cream will actually live up to its promise of fading age spots? I'm sure this question is on a lot of people's minds.
If you want to know about skin care products, the best person to ask would be a dermatologist right? Well, most of them are of the opinion that OTC fade creams are useless and will not do the job well. I can see why they would think like that. Very few are FDA approved. Not much testing is done to ensure their efficacy and quality before hitting the shelves. Do not make the mistake of buying a product with banned or harsh ingredients. If your skin is sensitive, it could cause adverse reactions.
You will require a strong treatment to treat your dark spots that have been caused by long time sun exposure. Usually, for a complete or full face treatment, most doctors prefer laser resurfacing such as Fraxel Restore Dual, DOT Co2 or Sciton tunable erbium laser. GentleLase laser, IPL (intense pulse light) and Q-switched Yag laser is generally used of spot treatments. You want a cheaper option to laser, there is liquid nitrogen.
You may find many OTC products on the market claiming to "brighten" or "lighten" brown spots, but none of them really work. However, some plastic surgeons would suggest the Obagi System. It is said that it does a wonderful job of correcting sun damage skin. So, there is hope after all. How does it improve your skin?
Obagi Nu-Derm System uses both tretinoin and hydroquinone to visibly lighten age spots. The combination of ingredients found in the various products work synergistically to clarify your skin. It is one of the least expensive ways to reverse the effects of chronic sun damage to your skin. You'll be glad to know that their products have been tested medically.
You may think that the only way to solve your problem is through laser surgery. Give Obagi System a try and do as how they instruct you. You might be glad with the outcome.
The Obagi system relies on hydroquinone to lighten the dark spots. It works by hindering your skin's ability to produce melanin. As it comes in contact with your skin, it prevents the enzyme tyrosinase from converting tyrosine to melanin. It also promotes the breakdown of structures in your skin that contain melanin. You need to be patient as the fading process does take some time. How nice it would be if we could see immediate results? I know how you feel.
You have to know though, that research indicates long term use of hydroquinone to be bad. There is risk of cancer. Some countries have already banned its inclusion in OTC products altogether.
For safety reasons, the FDA only allow the continuous use of hydroquinone up to three months. This limit is not long enough to see results. How fast you see results depend on how bad is your skin condition. Definitely it will take more than 3 months for your brown spots to fade if they were caused by countless years of sun bathing. So, how are you going to deal with this?
You give your skin a better chance of improving when you also use other skin care products besides just hydroquinone. It is suggested that glycolic acid, retinol and vitamin C works best with it. They may reduce the darkness of the lesions over time. The gentle exfoliation by these products will allow hydroquinone to penetrate deeper. Do not forget to practice patience. It may be a while before you see improvements to your dark spots. After all that is said, we still cannot deny that in-office laser treatments may still give you better satisfaction. Why not consider doing both laser treatment and also other facial treatments such as dermabrasion.
If you age spots are stubborn and won't respond to your over-the-counter cream, you might need a stronger treatment method. Retin A and hydroquinone are very effective but are usually available only through prescription. Some people's skin may not be able to stand hydroquinone. It could get irritated. In that case, tretinoin cream may be more suitable. It is found to be effective in fading these spots.
However, don't be surprised if you approach a skin specialist and they tell you that your pigmentation problem cannot be solved by their prescribed creams with 4% hydroquinone. It is hard to say as everyone skin condition is different. Some people's problem are mild while others are more severe. As much as we like to be given a guarantee that the treatment we choose will give us what we want, there is no such thing in the world of skin care.
With that being said, I believe it is better to see a board certified dermatologist first before performing any treatment. You have to make sure that your spots are normal especially if there is a history of sun exposure. Sometimes, the problem is runs deeper than we think.
You raise your cancer risk when you tan often under the sun. Even tanning beds are bad. The brown spots by themselves will do no harm to your health. It won't make you ill like melanoma. However, you do have to watch for changes to the spots. Those spots could lead to melanoma, or actual cancerous spots. There is no medical problem when it is just hyperpigmentation. It is the sun. Do not underestimate the harmful effects of the sun. People should not ignore this.
Your health insurance should cover the expenses involved in this type of skin evaluation. You have to say it is a medical dermatology visit. If your insurance does not cover the consultation fees or the doctor's clinic refuse to accept your insurance, don't worry as the consultation fees are reasonable.
If you are fortunate enough to find an OTC skin brightener that works for you, try not to let any more new brown spots emerge. You need to minimize sun exposure. Don't be lazy about putting on sunblock lotion. Look for lotions that protect you from both UVA and UVB and get one with sufficient SPF. Even if the blotches have faded, you must continue to use sunblock rigorously. Let's say you managed to solve your skin problem. With continued sun exposure, it is likely your age spots will return. Trust me. Keep on with the sun block lotion and over time, you'll see the benefits of it. Don't be surprised if your sun spots become lighter quite a bit on their own without treatment. Even if that is true, that is not an excuse for you to slack off. How hard can it be to put on sunblock lotion? Do it.
If the OTC skin brightening creams fail to give you the results you want, laser therapy might turn out to be the savior that you are hoping all these years. It is worth considering especially if you don't mind spending the money. When the laser is aimed at the affected areas, the melanin pigments will disintegrate. This way the body is able to get rid of excess melanin.
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