How to Get Rid of Spider Veins: Your Guide to Success

Posted on October 15, 2020October 19, 2020 by zion azar

Do you have spider veins on your legs that seem to be becoming more apparent lately? Has staying home during COVID 19 resulted in a more sedentary lifestyle?

Spider veins or varicose veins result from various health conditions that include obesity, trauma, and hormone imbalances. They are much more prevalent as you get older, and women tend to experience them more than men.

Their appearance is not always a cause for concern. Sometimes, they result from pregnancy or needing to be more active; however, in some cases, they can also result from significant health side effects.

To learn more, we break down what causes spider veins, how they come to be, and offer some prevention tips.

What Causes Spider Veins on Legs?

Based on work by the American Academy of Dermatology, spider veins or varicose veins may form when the vein begins to weaken, therefore affecting the overall blood flow. The weakening of veins can potentially result in blood clots or the vein bulging through the skin. A diagnosis of this could be very dangerous and requires immediate attention.

Did you know that many who experience spider veins on their legs are more bothered about how their skin looks? They are least bothered by the impact that they have on their overall physical well-being? Some patients who have varicose veins complain that their presence impacts their self-consciousness and comfort in wearing clothing that reveals their legs.

Other reasons for spider veins on legs include:

Age

Typically, those above the age of 40 can get spider veins. Someone between 20 to 30 years old rarely experiences veins varicose; however, it is not impossible.

Genetics

There is a potential for those who have varicose because their veins are just naturally weak. This could be a result of genetics. A mother could pass down the genetic trait of having weak veins onto her children, which carries on into adulthood.

Gender

Women are more likely to experience these skin afflictions, which is why much of the research on spider veins and varicose is on women’s health. There has also been some research looking into the potential link between heart disease and hormonal birth control.
These are just some of the possible causes of varicose veins.

Can You Prevent Spider Veins Naturally?

Suppose you are in a category that is at a higher risk of spider veins. In that case, some things can be done to prevent and/or improve the blood flow through the body and avoid a possible blood clot.

One way of preventing spider and varicose veins is to set time aside to be active every 30 minutes. This can help promote the flow of the blood back through the circulatory system. Increasing the flow of blood can strengthen the walls of the vein and prevent chronic venous insufficiency.

Another way of preventing veins include using compression stockings. Compression stockings are an excellent option for preventing them from bulging; they are also non-invasive. Not to mention, you don’t have to worry about your skin being exposed to others.

While life is different now due to COVID 19, one’s health mustn’t be neglected. Therefore, getting exercise, eating healthy, and taking proper care of your legs and body is essential. If not, the veins can cause irreversible problems.

Can Spider Veins Go Away?

For those living with spider veins, there is good news- spider veins are not permanent. There are ample options that medical professionals can recommend. Some treatments for this ailment are more invasive than others; for example, some medical professionals may recommend treatments that involve changing your physical lifestyle. Depending on the severity and how visible they are through the skin, there is the potential of elmiminating them.

Alternative Forms of Treatment

While those experiencing varicose veins are often open to using compression stockings as a preventative measure, sometimes, one may need drastic and immediate treatment. One such form of varicose veins treatment is laser treatment. The specific treatment is the endovenous laser, which uses ultrasound technology that easily treats the veins. Aftercare and recovery are also much faster than more severe forms of spider vein treatment.

Medical professionals can work with those suffering from the blemishes on their skin and legs with approaches that can help prevent it from further ruining their life. Now that COVID 19 has made its appearance, medical professionals have to take extra precautions before performing these procedures.

Don’t Miss Out on Treatment for Spider Veins

There are options when it comes to treatment. Reach out to a medical professional today because they may have a solution to help you minimize the impact these veins can have on your life. They may also be able to help with the appearance of your skin. If you are worried or self-conscious, don’t worry. Medical officials have a privacy policy, which means you can seek the necessary treatments without anyone knowing about it. w

Take advantage of the “contact us” links for the treatment options you deserve for spider veins. Begin the care you deserve and improve your skin today.

Broken capillaries are anther form of veins irregularity

Tips and Tricks – How to Get Rid of Broken Capillaries

Posted on October 6, 2020October 8, 2020 by zion azar

Broken capillaries are a common but unsightly condition that affects many of us, especially as we get older. These stubborn broken blood vessels aren’t dangerous, but for many, they’re a frustrating cosmetic complaint. Popped blood vessels are often very visible on the face, which is why lots of people try to treat them.

There are several different factors that can make you more likely to develop a broken capillary on your face. One of the main factors is genetics. Some people are far more prone to broken capillaries than others. Certain lifestyle factors can also make you much more likely to develop broken capillaries. For example, smoking can often cause broken capillaries. You’re more likely to develop broken blood vessels as a result of excessive sun exposure. Also, you may be more likely to develop broken capillaries if you are pregnant.

There are other indicators that reveal how prone you might be to broken capillaries. One of these is how prone you are to spider veins. Spider veins tend to develop on the legs. But if you are prone to spider veins on your skin, then you are likely prone to developing broken capillaries on your face.

Fortunately, there are some treatments that you can use to reduce the redness associated with broken blood vessels, and also treat the blood vessels themselves. The success of these treatments depends on the cause of the broken blood vessels, as well as how severe they are.

Can Broken Capillaries on the Face Go Away?

Depending on the cause of your spider veins or capillaries, they may go away on their own. This also depends on the severity of your condition. While they may not fade entirely on their own, you might find that some fade naturally, or that the surrounding redness reduces with time. However, if you want to ensure that your capillaries fade, the best thing to do is to obtain some type of medical treatment for the condition.

What Causes Broken Capillaries on Face?

Visible capillaries on your face can be caused by a number of factors. They are often genetic or result from aging, and are especially common among Caucasians. If you are very pale, then you may be prone to this type of capillaries, especially if you spend a lot of time out in the sun.

They can also result from excessive drinking, especially if they appear on the skin of your chest. These types of capillaries are actually a sign of liver damage, so make sure to consult with your doctor if you notice them.

Burst blood vessels can also result from certain lifestyle factors and changes. High blood pressure is a common cause, as it places more strain on the circulatory system. Smoking is another cause. Hormonal changes like pregnancy often result in minor burst blood vessels, especially on the face. Sun damage to the skin often causes burst blood vessels, too.

Can Retinol Help with Broken Capillaries?

If you notice that you have burst blood vessels on your face, then retinol should be your first line of skin treatment. While severe cases require more extensive treatment, retinol may help reduce redness and the appearance of some blood vessels on the skin, especially in more minor cases. Retinol is usually easily available and relatively inexpensive compared to laser treatments, and should at least help to reduce the skin’s redness.

What Other Treatments are Available?

If you have tried skin treatments like retinol and they have not been successful, the next skin treatment you may want to try is laser therapy. In severe cases, laser therapy is the most effective skin therapy, and it may also help to reduce redness. If you have burst blood vessels on your skin, you should consult with a dermatologist that provides laser therapy.

You can also try home remedies for various skin complaints, and burst blood vessels are no exception. However, it’s important to note that these remedies may help reduce the surrounding redness or skin irritation, but they are unlikely to get rid of the burst blood vessels themselves. Apple cider vinegar is a common home remedy for redness and irritation, and you can try using it on the area where you notice the burst blood vessels.
Another home remedy that you should try is horseradish. Applying horseradish to the site of irritation may help to reduce your symptoms, especially the redness. However, if you have sensitive skin, you need to be careful using it since it may cause irritation. Try applying a small patch to your skin first and see how you react. If you don’t experience any adverse effects, then you can try using a larger dose.

Laser Resurfacing for Skin Rejuvenation Treatment

Posted on September 25, 2020September 30, 2020 by zion azar

The beauty industry has grown immensely in recent years and it has introduced an immense amount of new treatment methods and procedures. One new method laser technology for treating different skin concerns and complaints. You can use lasers to lighten and reduce acne scarring, as well as improve and even out your skin tone. There are different types of lasers that can be used, and different types of laser resurfacing treatments that can address a wide variety of skin concerns.

Why is Laser Treatment Good for the Skin?

One of the advantages of laser resurfacing and other laser treatments is that it simply encourages your body’s natural healing mechanisms. As opposed to plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedures, skin resurfacing with a laser introduces heat into the dermis, and this stimulates your body’s healing process. As a result, laser skin resurfacing is a minimally traumatic and invasive procedure. It generally takes half an hour at the most, and no more than two weeks to recover from the procedure.

By using your body’s natural healing abilities, laser procedures can encourage your skin to repair itself. Lasers are used to address and resolve different types of skin damage or complaints, like sun damage, fine lines, skin tone and different types of scarring. Non-ablative laser resurfacing treatments can remove the top layers of skin from your face, encouraging new skin growth. Treatment with an ablative laser heats the lower layers of your skin, encouraging collagen growth and regeneration.

What Does Laser Skin Rejuvenation Do?

By using a special laser for facial treatments, your dermatologist can heat the different layers of your skin. Depending on what skin complaint you have, your dermatologist or therapist may use a CO2 laser, fraxel laser, or an ablative laser. It might sound daunting or intimidating to have a laser beam directed onto your face, but you can rest assured that the procedure is very safe. Lasers for facial treatments have been clinically tested and have repeatedly shown to have minimal side effects, while being highly effective. However, you should ensure that you are treated by a board-certified dermatologist, or a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This way, you can guarantee that you are treated by an experienced, qualified professional.

Laser resurfacing essentially heats the lower layers of your skin, which kickstarts your body’s healing process. This is why laser resurfacing is so effective in treating scars and uneven skin tones. Your body has the capacity to heal these conditions on its own, but laser resurfacing treatments greatly accelerate the process. Non-ablative skin resurfacing, on the other hand, simply removes the upper layers of the dermis. This stimulates your body to grow new skin which is healthier and plumper.

How Long Does Laser Skin Tightening Last?

Compared to other types of laser skin resurfacing treatments, the results of laser skin tightening treatment don’t last as long. After your laser skin tightening treatment, you can expect the results to last up to 12 weeks, provided you follow the proper aftercare and are otherwise are in good health. This is generally reflected in the price of laser tightening treatments that are usually more affordable than laser skin resurfacing treatments.

Generally, a dermatologist will recommend that you get several laser skin tightening treatments, as opposed to just one. The more frequently you receive the procedure, the better the results are going to be, and the longer they last. As such, the results from your final round of laser skin tightening treatments are probably going to last a lot longer than your first treatment- but this is nothing to be concerned about.

Is Laser Resurfacing Safe?

Laser skin resurfacing is generally a very safe procedure. Compared to cosmetic surgery, for example, there are very few risks involved. However, you do need to ensure that you follow the appropriate aftercare. After your laser resurfacing procedure, you should avoid sun exposure for at least two weeks. You should refrain from using too much skincare lotion since it can cause temporary breakouts while the skin is healing. After you have been treated with non-ablative lasers, the risk of sun damage decreases, but it’s still important that you protect your skin until it has fully healed.

If you’re considering getting a laser skin resurfacing treatment, then you shouldn’t let the minimal risk of side effects hold you back. The side effects are infrequent, and are usually very mild and resolve on their own within a few weeks.

Laser skin resurfacing is a fantastic procedure which gives lots of people their confidence back, or a whole new lease on life. Your dermatologist should use a numbing product before they start the treatment, so it is also minimally painful.

Vitamin C for Skin Bleaching

Posted on September 14, 2020September 15, 2020 by zion azar

Whether you’ve got darker skin or various dark spots that you want to get rid of, this might be the right time to consider skin bleaching products. It’s possible to lighten your skin, but you have to consider your skin color and tone. Also, it’s essential to think about the products you choose since you want them to be safe for everyday use.

Is Skin Bleaching Possible?

Yes, it is possible to lighten the skin. To do so, you need the right skin lightening products. Often, the products are used on dark skin to gradually lighten it. However, some skin whitening products only work on lighter skin tones. The goal is to find safe and effective products. Many times, skin lightening creams are a good option because you can add as much or as little product as you want.

What Ingredients are Used for Skin Lightening Creams?

The ingredients used for bleaching the skin are designed to activate biological processes that eliminate or reduce melanin production. There are multiple ways to achieve this:

Complex copper to inhibit tyrosinase function
Inhibit the synthesis of tyrosinase
Eliminate oxidation that forms melanin
Act upstream from the hormone stimulating melanogenesis
Slow down melanosomes and keratinocytes

Most of the skin bleaching products on the market work to inhibit tyrosinase activity and decrease melanogenesis.

Hydroquinone

In the past, Hydroquinone was a popular active ingredient in many skin lightening creams and products. Researchers initially thought that it was effective and safe. However, new clinical studies have shown that there are negative side effects associated with long-term use of Hydroquinone. Therefore, the FDA withdrew many OTC skin bleaching products that contained the ingredient. Since Hydroquinone is now banned, there’s a need for alternative products that are safe, effective, and natural.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C is found in various forms, but generally, ascorbic acid is the most effective and biologically active. This key ingredient is found in many skin lightening products. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant that can donate more electrons to the body and prevent oxidation by ensuring that copper and iron atoms are reduced.

Ascorbic acid can help with the synthesis of:

Tyrosine
Carnitine
Neurotransmitters
Collagen

Collagen production is essential to repair damaged tissues in the face. Studies have shown that the skin can heal faster and produce fewer scars when vitamin C is used. Therefore, vitamin C plays a critical role in helping the skin look and feel smoother and more supple.

Ascorbic acid lightens the skin by inhibiting the production of tyrosinase, which in turn reduces the production of melanin. It can also safeguard your skin from damage caused by overexposure to the sun’s UV rays. Often, people’s skin tone darkens because of years of sun damage. Fortunately, by using vitamin C, you can reduce the impact of sun damage on your skin.

Since vitamin C has many skincare benefits, you can find a variety of skin bleaching creams that contain vitamin C. Be wary, though, as the product could claim to treat many skin conditions. Remember, if you apply ascorbic acid topically, its efficiency is often non-existent or very small. That’s because vitamin C is a highly unstable molecule that degrades when it is exposed to light. Once that happens, it loses its benefits. If you purchase a skin bleach product and its coloration is a yellowish-brown, this could be misleading. When vitamin C degrades it turns to such a color. So when the product also looks like this, it’s hard for you to tell if it is still safe to use.

Your skin’s structure can also determine how effective the vitamin C is going to be. The outer layer of the skin protects the deeper layers by ensuring that materials can’t penetrate it. Since ascorbic acid dissolves in water, the skin is resistant to it. Therefore, you must first exfoliate the outer skin layer before using the skin lightening product.

How Can I Whiten My Skin Fast?

Though you may be focused on getting things done quickly, you’ve got to consider the skin lightening products you want to use. Focus on natural ingredients that are designed to nourish the skin and lighten skin tones. This is the best way to reduce dark spots.

Skin bleaching products are available and can help. However, they may not work in a day. Consider using a product for at least a month as recommended. This way, you are going to see gradual results. This is often the best way because it’s less of a shock to your family and friends.

Cosmetic products are often designed with multiple advantages in mind. For example, they may help with skin aging and also include ingredients for skin lightening.

Make sure you have realistic goals in mind. If your skin is black, you aren’t going to make it white, regardless of how well the product works. These treatments are primarily designed to help you care for your skin and make it look better, more even and youthful. The most important thing is that you feel beautiful and take care of your health. The skin lightening treatments will only help you to improve your overall feeling of wellness.

Which is the Best Treatment for Skin Bleaching?

Generally, skin bleaching creams and serums are designed for use with a small handheld device. You can exfoliate the skin and use appropriate whitening ingredients, such as Vitamin C. For example, with NowMi treatments, consumers can stop the aging process and reduce the amount of melanin that the skin produces. It can also limit the effects of the free radical agents and protect your skin from sun damage. Apply it to the areas of the face with significant tone issues. It’s best to choose at-home products and treatments like these instead of laser treatments and harsh chemicals since they are safer for your face and give you the option to do things at your own pace.

The NowMi Treatment for Skin Bleaching

The NowMi vitamin C oxygen facial is a highly effective treatment that enables you to safely and effectively bleach your skin. The 4in1 treatment performs 4 actions simultaneously- skin exfoliation, nourishment, oxygenation and protection.

During the skin exfoliation stage, the outermost layer of the skin is gently removed. This layer includes dead skin cells, dirt and oil as well as darkened skin cells. As a result, the level of hyperpigmentation is reduced.

Simultaneously, the facial skin is infused with vitamin C, vitamin E and Hyaluronic acid. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays a critical role in combating hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C helps to inhibit the production of the tyrosinase enzyme – the enzyme responsible for the production of melanin. It is also known for its ability to lighten pigmentation without affecting the rest of the skin.

The NowMi vitamin C oxygen facial treatment is unique since it stimulates the skin to ‘oxygenate itself from within’. This means that the body sends oxygen-rich blood cells to the treatment area. As a result, the vitamin C is optimally absorbed by the skin cells and its effect is maximized.

The protection phase is all about prevention. Vitamin C is the most prevalent antioxidant in the human skin. However, with age, the level of vitamin C in the skin dramatically reduces and aged skin has 70% less vitamin C compared to young skin. As the concentrations decrease, the skin becomes more vulnerable to sun damage and other extrinsic factors which damage it. The NowMi treatment replenishes the skin’s vitamin C supply which enables to protect itself from UV rays and prevent the formation of sun spots.

Conclusion:

Skin bleaching is an excellent treatment that helps your skin look clear and glow. The treatment reduces sun spots, age spots and other blemishes caused by hyperpigmentation. The NowMi treatment uses pure vitamin C to lighten the skin and give it an even tone. Best of all, the treatment can be carried out in the comfort of your home, it takes only 5 minutes, and costs a fraction of the price of its spa equivalent.

Active Ingredients used for Facial Skin Whitening

Posted on August 14, 2018June 26, 2019 by abigail

The ingredients used for facial skin whitening activate biological processes that are intended to reduce or eliminate the production of melanin.

There are several means of achieving this reduction:

Inhibit tyrosinase synthesis
Use complex copper that inhibits tyrosinase function
Eliminate oxidation reactions that lead to the formation of melanin
Slow down the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes
Act upstream on the hormone that stimulates melanogenesis (MSH)

Most of the depigmenting agents currently on the market decrease melanogenesis by inhibiting tyrosinase activity in the melanocytes as well as by inhibiting melanosome maturation using one of the mechanisms described in the blog ‘Facial Skin Whitening’.

Hydroquinone

In the past hydroquinone was the main active ingredient used in facial skin whitening treatments, and it was thought to be safe and effective for skin lightening. However, several clinical studies concluded that there may be side effects associated with the long-term use of hydroquinone- there were reports of possible carcinogenicity and a link to ochronosis. As a result, the FDA withdrew the 1982 TFM for OTC skin bleaching drug products containing hydroquinone. Since the banning of hydroquinone from the OTC market, there has been a growing demand for an alternative natural, safe, and efficacious de-pigmenting treatment.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Vitamin C can be found in a few different forms, but ascorbic acid is the most biologically active and effective form.

Ascorbic acid is a key ingredient in many physiological functions in the human body. It is a powerful antioxidant since it donates electrons and prevents oxidation by keeping iron and copper atoms in their reduced states.

The physiological functions of Ascorbic acid include the synthesis of:

Collagen
Carnitine
Neurotransmitters
Tyrosine

Collagen production is crucial for repairing damaged facial tissue. Clinical studies have shown that the skin heals faster and scars less when it is infused with vitamin C. Thus, Ascorbic acid is used to stimulate collagen production which results in smoother and more supple skin.

Ascorbic acid whitens facial skin by inhibiting the production of tyrosinase, which reduces the production of melanin. It also protects the skin from harmful damage caused by sun exposure. Excessive exposure to sunlight, especially UV rays, creates reactive oxygen species in the skin that provoke skin damage. Vitamin C significantly reduces the impact of these reactive oxygen species by donating electrons which neutralize them.

With so many facial skin benefits, it is not surprising that there is an abundance of topical products (creams, gels, serums) containing vitamin C on the market. The products claim to treat a wide variety of skin conditions- from facial skin whitening to fine line and wrinkle reduction . However, it is critical to know that when applied topically, the efficacy of ascorbic acid is very small and often non-existent. This is due to the fact that vitamin C (C₆H₈O₆) is a very unstable molecule which degrades once it is exposed to light, and as soon as it degrades, it loses all of the benefits described above.

It is easy to detect the degradation of the vitamin C since it turns a yellow-brown color upon degradation. Cosmetic products that claim to have vitamin C as an active ingredient, and which are colored yellow-brown, are misleading consumers since in actual fact the vitamin C in these products has lost its skin rejuvenation properties and is an inactive, degraded, vitamin C.

The structure of the skin is another factor which greatly reduces the effectiveness of cosmetics containing vitamin C. The upper layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, protects the deeper layers of the skin by rejecting materials that attempt to penetrate it. Vitamin C is a hydrophilic molecule which easily dissolves in water, while the stratum corneum is hydrophilic, meaning it is water resistant. Therefore, to effectively penetrate vitamin C into the skin, it is essential to first exfoliate the stratum corneum.

Kojic acid

For over 30 years, Kojic acid has been used as a facial skin whitening agent. Kojic acid, like hydroquinone, prevents the formation of dopachrome – an intermediate stage in the biosynthesis of melanin. Kojic acid is obtained by the fermentation of a strain of Aspergillus orizae.

Since hydroquinone and its esters have been banned in several countries, Kojic acid has been used to replace it. Kojic acid at 1% concentration has bleaching properties, but when it is used, it immediately turns the cosmetic emulsion yellow and within four to six weeks it turns it brown. Furthermore, its acidity is very weak since it is linked only to the presence of a hydroxyl function in the molecule. Additionally, it is unstable since it is very sensitive to heat (above 40°C) and oxidizes easily. Therefore, it must be added into emulsions when they are cooled and needs to be combined with antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Although relatively safe and effective, recent studies have shown that it is responsible for skin irritation, sensitization and in rare cases where it has been frequently used, it has been related to contact dermatitis.

In Japan, the country where Kojic acid was first used for skin bleaching, the product isn’t banned, but the authorities have stated that they don’t want new formulations to include the acid.

Niacinamide or nicotinamide or vitamin B3

Another way to achieve skin lightening is to limit the transfer of pigment into the skin cells. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) and Soy are primary nutrients which affect the transfer of melanosome and thus pigmentation.

Niacinamide (nicotinamide) is an effective skin lightener, especially for skin conditions in which hyperpigmentation may occur on the face or other visible parts of the body. Niacinamide has been found to reduce hyperpigmentation in a pigmented reconstructed epidermal (PREP) model by inhibiting 35-68% of melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes. It inhibits melanosome transfer without affecting tyrosinase activity, melanin production, melanocyte number or cell viability. The melanosome transfer is modulated by protease-activated receptor 2 activation (PAR-2) leading to disrupted keratinocyte phagocytosis. Most importantly, Niacinamide inhibits the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes without affecting the activity of tyrosinase.

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids

A very popular method for lightening the skin uses alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA). AHA is a natural ingredient that effectively exfoliates the skin and also helps with hyperpigmentation by speeding up skin’s natural cell turnover – known as Skin Turnover Acceleration

L(+) lactic acid is part of the alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) group. It is known to stimulate the desquamation process which increases the skin’s cell renewal rate. This not only results in smoother skin and the disappearance of fine lines, but also causes melanogenic suppression or skin whitening activity (as a result of the suppression of the formation of tyrosinase). The product needs to be formulated at lower pH levels to speed up the cell renewal.

The use of lactic acid and other lactates in skin lightening products has multiple benefits such as moisturization, increase of the skin’s ceramide level and skin lightening.

Facial Skin Whitening

Posted on August 6, 2018June 28, 2019 by abigail

Introduction

More than ever before, there is a huge emphasis in the beauty market on skin tone. Customers the world over are seeking effective products that will even out their skin tone, and many individuals with darker skin are looking for skin whitening products.

The desire to use skin whitening products varies considerably between cultures. Hyperpigmentation is the most common and distressing condition afflicting people in Western countries. These individuals often seek to eliminate localized hyperpigmentation as well as to lighten their skin tone in general. In Asian countries, skin whitening products are mainly used to achieve a whiter and brighter facial skin tone.

The main purpose of facial skin whitening products is to lighten the skin as well as even out the skin tone. It is also used to treat pigmentation disorders such as blemishes, pregnancy marks and age spots.

The active ingredients in the facial skin whitening creams work in two ways:

By absorbing the UV rays, thus preventing the sun damaging and darkening the facial skin.
By reducing the production of melanin, the pigment found in the skin which is responsible for skin color and darkening.

Facial Skin Pigmentation

Dermal melanin is produced by melanocytes, cells that are located at the bottom layer of the skin. The type and amount of melanin synthesized by the melanocyte and its distribution pattern in the epidermis determines the actual color of the facial skin.

Melanin comes in two forms: pheomelanin and eumelanin. These two forms are found in facial skin and hair. Eumelanin is the form which mostly determines the skin color due to its high concentrations (i.e. the higher the concentration of eumelanin, the darker the skin tone).

All skin types also have pheomelanin in the skin and hair. Pheomelanin is responsible for creating pink to red hues in the skin and is found in high concentrations in red hair as well as in lips, nipples, glans of the penis and vagina.

Some research has stated that pheomelanin may become carcinogenic if exposed to UV light.

Facial Skin Pigmentation Mechanism

Melanin in melanocytes form due to a series of oxidative reactions involving tyrosine and the enzyme tyrosinase.

Eumelanin is formed from the amino acid tyrosine, when it is acted upon by the enzyme tyrosinase, which itself is dependent on its co-enzyme copper. A succession of oxidation reactions leads to the formation of indole-5,6-quinone, and then the colored polymer. This synthesis takes place in the melanosomes, cellular organelles that extend from the melanocytes, which are transferred to keratinocytes that migrate from the basal layer of the epidermis to the stratum corneum.

Melanin forms through a series of oxidative reactions involving the amino acid tyrosine and the enzyme tyrosinase.

Tyrosinase catalyzes three different reactions in the biosynthetic pathway of melanin in melanocytes: the hydroxylation of tyrosine to l-DOPA and the oxidation of l-DOPA to dopaquinone; furthermore, in humans, dopaquinone is converted by a series of complex reactions to melanin.

The first step is the most critical because the remainder of the reaction sequence can proceed spontaneously at physiological pH. Here, tyrosinase converts tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and then to dopaquinone. Subsequently, dopaquinone is converted to dopachrome through auto-oxidation, and finally to dihydroxyindole or dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) to form eumelanin (black-brown pigment). The latter reaction occurs in the presence of dopachrome tautomerase and DHICA oxidase. In the presence of cysteine or glutathione, dopaquinone is converted to cysteinyl DOPA or glutathione DOPA. Subsequently, pheomelanin, a yellow-red pigment, is formed.

There are several means of reducing or eliminating melanin formation:

Inhibit tyrosinase synthesis
Complex copper to inhibit tyrosinase function
Eliminate oxidation reactions that lead to the polymer formation
Slow down the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes
Act upstream on the hormone that stimulates melanogenesis

Most of the depigmenting agents presently on the market decrease melanogenesis by inhibiting tyrosinase activity in melanocytes as well as by inhibiting melanosome maturation by one or other of the mechanisms described.

In the next blog some of the most popular active ingredient for facial skin whitening will be presented.