Lightening creams are an excellent addition to your skin care regimen, especially if you have aging skin.
Using lightening creams on a regular basis will diminish hyperpigmentation, which is caused by the sun. Hyperpigmentation can be described as patchy, brown spots on the skin. There can be just a few spots, or there can be an entire area of the skin that is affected.
Heredity can also be a factor in this condition, as well as pregnancy and other hormonal changes in the body.
Dangerous Ingredients In Lightening Creams
There has recently been concern over the use of over the counter lightening creams. This article claims that there are many online and retail sellers who are marketing lightening creams that contain the ingredient, hydroquinone. This ingredient has the ability to strip off a layer of skin and puts the user at risk for skin cancer. Hydroquinone can also cause kidney and liver damage.
Another popular ingredient in these toxic products is mercury. Mercury poisoning is very dangerous and can be potentially life threatening.
You may be asking yourself, “ So, what IS a safe lightening cream?”
Let’s take a closer look at how you can lighten those pesky dark spots without the worry of potential health risks:
Get A Prescription
If your dark spots are severe, then a prescribed lightening cream is probably your best bet. You won’t have to be concerned about the product containing dangerous ingredients and you will also know exactly what is in it.
To obtain a topical cream, just visit a trusted dermatologist in your area for a prescription. If you notice any adverse effects, you can contact them immediately to discuss further treatments.
Make Your Own Skin Lightening Cream
All natural ingredients are always your safest bet. Some of the most popular home remedies for lightening skin, include items, such as: lemons, tumeric and almonds.
The skin lightening recipe below is suggested in this article.
Combine almond flour or almond meal with a little plain yogurt, lemon juice and honey. Mix all ingredients together and apply to the dark spot at night on clean skin. Store remaining cream in the refrigerator. Results should start to become visible within two weeks.
Another simple and natural skin lightener is an aloe vera mask. The following method is recommended in this article.
Simply break open an aloe vera leaf and put gel into a bowl. Use a fan brush to apply the gel evenly to the skin. Let it sit for fifteen to twenty minutes then rinse off with warm water.
This next mask has become quite popular in recent years and has been proven to work very well to even out skin tone and lighten dark spots on the skin:
First, make a cup of green tea. You will next add two tablespoons of sandlewood powder to several drops of the tea. To enhance the lightening power, you can also add a few drops of tomato juice or cucumber juice to the mixture. Let sit on your face for 20 minutes then gently remove with a damp cloth.
Conclusion
If you do end up using a store bought product, be sure to check the ingredients on the back. Understand the exact ingredients that are listed. Purchase your product from a reputable source or obtain a prescription from your dermatologist to be cautious.
To prevent further dark spots from presenting themselves, be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Always wear a sunscreen and reapply as needed. Cover your eyes with sunglasses and wear a large brimmed hat to better protect your face.
For further reading, check out: Island Holidays – Protecting Your Skin From The Elements and How Facial Exercises Actually Work To Give You Firmer Skin.
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