Top Tips for Lightening Skin Pigmentation
A Guide to Using Hydroquinone and Kojic Acid Skin Lightening Creams
If you’re interested in bleaching your skin pigmentation, then we know that you’ve likely already spent hundreds of dollars — perhaps even more — on products that simply don’t deliver the results that they promise.
You’d like to find a safe and effective skin bleaching agent, but you’re tired of being sold a false bill of goods.
Now is the time to give kojic acid skin bleaching solutions and hydroquinone products a chance. But what are these products and others, how do you use them correctly, and what makes them effective?
Keep reading to find out.
Kojic Acid Skin Bleaching
First, let’s talk about kojic acid skin bleaching solutions.
In addition to working as an effective skin bleaching agent, it can also help to reduce the appearance of age spots, acne scars, and even sun damage.
Interestingly, it’s actually made from a variety of fermented fungi that work to interact with your skin’s overall melanin production. Melanin is the skin pigmentation that colors your skin, hair, and even your eyes, and it relies on the tyrosine amino acid to continue to produce this melanin.
Kojic acid is actually able to stop the production of tyrosine in the skin, which means that melanin production also slows down. This means lighter skin, a reduction in the appearance of scars, and even a few anti-aging benefits.
Many women who suffer from melasma — when the skin darkens during pregnancy — also rely on kojic acid to help lighten their skin.
When using a kojic acid cream or serum, just make sure to limit your time in the sun and to wear sunscreen whenever you’re outside.
Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is another one of the most popular bleaching agents for skin.
In addition to helping to lighten your skin, hydroquinone can also reduce the appearance of freckles, age spots, hyperpigmentation, and liver spots.
As with kojic acid, hydroquinone also works to stop production of tyrosinase, but it also breaks down the melanocytes and melanosomes responsible for hyperpigmentation and patches of discoloration on the skin.
Most people who use hydroquinone say that they begin to see results in as little as four weeks.
Commercially, hydroquinone is available in a concentration of 4%. Dermatologists often write for compounded prescriptions that involve higher concentrations. It is not uncommon to see 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% or 14% hydroquinone in combination with kojic acid 6%. The synergy provides for a much stronger bleaching regimen that is often used in more severe cases and melasma.
Just make sure that, when using hydroquinone, you stop using hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide over the course of your treatment.
Monobenzone
Monobenzone, especially when used in combination with tretinoin and hydroquinone, works to eliminate the presence of melanin from your skin cells.
In addition to skin bleaching, it is also seen as one of the most effective treatment options for people living with vitiligo, as it can even out your skin tone. Unlike kojic acid and hydroquinone, monobenzone is not meant to be used to reduce the appearance of freckles, dark spots, jaundice, or sun damage.
You will need to apply monobenzone about two or three times each day to get the results you want, and will start to notice a difference in your skin tone in roughly four months.
Monobenzone causes a permanent change in your skin color, so be sure to speak with a medical professional before you decide to use it.
Tretinoin
Also called Retin-A, tretinoin is one of the most commonly prescribed skin bleaching products on the market today.
In fact, you may already have had experience with using tretinoin to treat stubborn acne during your teenage years.
Tretinoin is made from vitamin A and offers anti-aging benefits in addition to its skin bleaching abilities.
So, how does it work?
Tretinoin actually slightly irritates your skin, which in turn makes cells divide and die much faster than they normally would. This increase in cell turnover works to decrease the number of cell layers within the skin, which means it’s an effective treatment for acne scars, sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and that it works as a skin bleaching agent.
You shouldn’t use tretinoin in conjunction with salicylic acid or when taking oral anti-acne medications like tetracycline.
You will need to wait about half an hour after washing your face before you apply tretinoin to ensure that skin is completely dry. Wait at least 15 minutes before you get into bed, as tretinoin can sometimes stain sheets and pillows.
Fluocinonide
Fluocinonide is another way to lighten your skin, and it is especially helpful for those who need treatment for psoriasis, eczema, and seborrhea.
It works as a steroid that actively lowers the levels of inflammation in your body — and it also provides relief from skin conditions that, in addition to causes discoloration or skin darkening, may itch.
Especially if you’re currently taking any other kind of medication, your doctor may suggest that you try fluocinonide. This is because, in most cases, it will not interact with any other medications you’re taking.
To get the results you want, fluocinonide will need to be applied to your skin anywhere from 2-4 times each day.
Looking for the Right Compounding Pharmacy In Houston?
Whether you want to use kojic acid skin bleaching products, or if you’re interested in fluocinonide, tretinoin, or monobenzone, you need to make sure that you’re working with the right Houston compounding pharmacy.
At Compounding Corner Pharmacy, we’re committed to helping you find safe and effective solutions for your needs. We are proud to be accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board, which carry the highest standards in the country.
We also have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and are ACHC accredited.
Perhaps even more importantly, we have process validation for multiple formulations of bleaching cream combinations, including potency results for hydroquinone, tretinoin and hydrocortisone.
In short?
When you work with us, you can feel confident that you’re getting the high level of service that you deserve from a pharmacy that specializes in compounding medications on a daily basis. Learn more about the many medications we offer, and feel free to contact us with any questions.