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Skin Whitening Products

Over the past years, aesthetics companies and medical professionals have been introducing numerous skin whitening products into the consumer market ranging from high-end niche treatments to budget skin whitening solutions. All these products assure to deliver desirable lightening result on your skin to give you that lovely fair skin that you have always wanted.

When it comes to fashion, you choose what fits you. With such an overwhelming range of skin whitening options available, how do you decide which one is the real effective skin whitening solution that will work best for you?

Knowledgeable customers will know that it is not sufficient to choose the best skin whitening product / treatment but you have to choose the skin whitening product / treatment that works best for you.

Customers can consider the following guidelines when they are looking for a skin whitening remedy or are already in the midst of a skin-whitening course:

• Identify your problem:
  There are many types of facial pigmentation. The most common types are freckles, solar lentigines (or age spots), melasma and Hori's naevus. Many have a genetic basis although factors like sunlight, ageing and hormones also play an important role. By identifying the source of your problem, you will know how to pick up the product / treatment that is going to help you rectify it.

• Have some basic knowledge about skin whitening ingredients:
  Every company has its own specialty skin whitening ingredients that are responsible for delivering that miracle on your skin. However, how do you know that some of these virtually unknown ingredients are going to do the trick? A customer should not go to a counter and believe what the salesperson says during those 10 - 20 minutes of sales talk. Instead, listen to the salesperson, take a step back, do some simple research on the ingredients or talk to your dermatologist to see if this particular skin-whitening product is going to be useful in solving your problem. There is no point buying a product whose only effects are to moisturize and provide your skin with UV protection when what you actually need is a product that can lighten melasma.

• Be a responsible consumer:
  Broadly speaking it is possible to prevent / reduce skin pigmentation. Many types of pigmentation are induced and aggravated by sunlight. Therefore, a suitable product and sufficient sun protection can delay the onset of skin pigmentation or improve the appearance. Using a skin-lightening product may help improve the pigmentation but regular use of sunscreen and active sun avoidance is also compulsory and should be undertaken responsibly.

• Understand that not every product / treatment works for everyone:
  Topical skin lightening products are effective for melasma. However, laser therapy does not work very well for melasma. In fact, laser may sometime cause temporary darkening (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) which can last several months. On the other hand, laser therapy is effective for pigmentation such as freckles, solar lentigines and Hori's naevus.

• Talk to a medical professional when necessary:
  Besides sunlight, certain types of pigmentation - specifically melasma and Hori's naevus - can be stimulated and worsened by hormonal factors. For example, during pregnancy, taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement. In such cases, topical skin whitening products will not be able to rectify the problems effectively. Instead of hopping from one product to another and exposing your skin to further damages, talk to a medical professional who will advise the appropriate treatment options for you. Solve the problem at an early stage and not after it gets out of hand.