What Are Skin Brighteners?
The term Skin Brightener has an extremely broad meaning ranging from an exfoliating scrub to a product that inhibits the production of melanin in your skin. What they all do, to some degree, is lighten and brighten your skin.
Treatments and products for evening out skin tone have never been more popular and anyone who hopes to get a jump on aging should start to consider using them.
When to Use Skin Brighteners and Lighteners
A Skin Brightener in conjunction with good hydration is the ideal combination and fall/winter is the perfect time to use them. The sun is not as strong at this time thus giving the products a better chance to repair the skin while it is resting from the UV light. You can use lightning products anytime of the year if you can stay away from the sun and always apply SPF. With a good routine, your chances of lightening and keeping pigmentation from worsening are very bright, indeed!
Traditional Lighteners
The FDA control the two ingredients that can legally be called “lighteners”, Hydroquinone and Kojic Acid. Other ingredients that promote a lightening effect are referred to as “brighteners”.
Hydroquinone is probably the best known of all the lightning ingredients and it works by decreasing the production and increasing the breakdown of melanin pigment in the skin. This works on pigmentation such as age spots, melasma, freckles and acne scars.
Koji Acid is derived from mushrooms and is a melanin inhibitor. It works by blocking the natural enzymes that produce melanin and it works very well in conjunction with Hydroquinone.
Botanical vs. Synthesized “Brighteners”
What is the preferred product to use for skin brightening, botanical ingredients or synthesized formulations?
Traditionally when treating hyper pigmentation we suggest using Hydroquinone and/or Kojic Acid. They are both fast acting and effective. It is important to know they can have the reverse effect if used to long so it is important to talk to a skin care professional and set up plan.
The benefit of using plant extract and peptide based products is that there is a little to no chance of doing serious harm to the skin. The body automatically knows how to process plant-based products so it is easy to add to daily skin care.
The botanical extract ingredients are gentler to the skin and may not be as effective as their chemical counterparts, so be patient.
Other Brightening Ingredients
Other brightening ingredients to look for in skin care products are: Algae, Arbutin, Chamomile Extract, Green Tea Extract, Licorice Extract, Mulberry, Resveratrol, T-Tartaric, Vitamin-A/Retinol/Retin-A and Vitamin-C/Ascorbic Acid.
Laser Treatments For A Brighter Skin
At The Laser Image Company we offer everything from light peels, micro needling, IPL “Photofacial” to the more aggressive CO2 Fractional Laser treatment to clear pigmentation problems and brighten skin.
Conclusion
Pigmentation problems can be hard to tackle, so getting the right help is important for the most effective results. A combination of the right Skin care products (will do 60% of the job) and professional treatments will help take care of your skin.
Let us at The Laser Image Company help you get the skin you always dreamed about! Education. Treatment. Results.
