Please read before you try to lighten your skin

A recent warning issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) says that the common ingredient in skin lightening products — mercury — can have adverse effects such as kidney damage, reduction in the skin's resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression or psychosis and also peripheral neuropathy.

The warning is especially serious  as a large portion of the dermatological market consists of skin lightening products. Apart from mercury, the creams may also contain harmful ingredients such as hydroquinone and ammonia. 

 Hydroquinone leads to permanent disruption of melanocytes, which produces melanins.

After long term use, some cells become permanently inactive resulting in white patches.

Some creams have raw acid in the form of ammonia. Ammonia is a bleaching agent which burns the skin. Not surprisingly, advertisements for lightening creams come with a shade card to mark the stages in the progress from dark to a lighter skin. Regular use of such products may loosen the skin and lead to wrinkles.

Next time, look before you purchase. The names to look for on the cover include mercury, Hg, mercuric iodide, mercurous chloride, ammoniated mercury, amide chloride of mercury, quicksilver, cinnabaris, hydrargyri oxydum rubrum (mercury oxide), mercury iodide. Directions to avoid contact with silver, gold, rubber, aluminum and jewelry may also indicate the presence of mercury.

We recommend our Arbutin Discoloration Duo. Tyrosinase is an enzyme at the root of pigment. Without it, you wouldnt have any color and an over abundance of it makes more color.

So, the fix is to control this enzyme and nature has blessed us with a natural ingredient to do so.

Its known as Alpha Arbutin and it is great at suppressing tyrosinase.