Skin Whitening - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Hydroquinone has recently been banned from various countries after a recent study proving links with cancer.

But cancer is not the only health hazard associated with skin whitening. And many people are not fully aware of the possible dangers.

Using skin whitening products can damage the skin and cause it to loose its protective properties, leading to infections. The thinning of the skin caused by those products can also leave the skin with irreversible stretch marks
Other bleaching products can cause liver damage, visible blood vessels and hyperpigmentation amongst many other dangers.

A common result of skin bleaching is a condition called ocronosis in which the pigment drops into the dermis making it almost impossible to remove.

Many women who have had flawless complexions prior to using the creams develop this persistent, stubborn acne on their face with large papules and nodules.

Various types of allergic reactions to many of the ingredients can also leave the skin irreversibly damaged.

So, what’s safe and what’s not in the world of skin whitening?
The following are the findings from a report conducted on behalf of SW+SS Skin Whitening by Dr Jonathan Lindenberg, skincare adviser.

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-Alpha Hydroxic Acids, like lactic acid and glycolic acid are safe to use under 10% concentration. Concentrations higher than 10% are only to be used by dermatologists and trained cosmetologists.

-Arbutin. It contains the chemical glucosylated hydroquinone. Like many other skin whitening products, no studies have been made regarding its toxicity, but there are fears that it can have the same links with cancer found in hydroquinone.

-Azelaic acid. It can be a skin and eye irritant, but it’s believed that there is no risk to health associated with this ingredient.

-Hydroquinone. Although Hydroquinone is a very strong inhibitor of melanin production, it has been banned from various countries due to the link found with cancer. It is considered to be an irritant above 4% concentration and can be an unstable ingredient in formulations of cosmetic products. Some scientists have also proposed that hydroquinone poisoning can lead to a lower IQ and verbal difficulties.

-Kojic acid. Testing on mice has proven that there is evidence on the carcinogenicity of kojic acid, but no studies have been made yet on the effects on humans.

-Mercury. Highly Toxic. Both an acute and chronic poison. Mercury poisoning has been linked to kidney failure, nervous system disorders, and mental disturbance as well as autism. Its carcinogenicity has been well documented. It has been banned from most countries.

-Tretinoin. It is made from Vitamin A. It has been recorded to cause thinning and dryness of the skin. Sensitive skin types can also experience redness, scaling, itching and burning.

-Vitamin C. Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, L-glutathione, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucosamine, and ascorbic acid are the various anti oxidants that have been found to have positive effects in reducing melanin production in concentrations higher than 5%. It is believed to be one of the safest whitening products in the market.

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