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Skin Lightening Treatment

Skin lightening is an alternative term for skin whitening. It refers to reduction in melanin a color pigment that gives your skin an actual color. Melanin is produced by melanocytes. Melanocytes are special cells in upper skin layers. Production of melanin is catalyzed by an enzyme called tyrosinase. Without tyrosinase, no melanin is produced. Therefore, melanocytes are special cells that produces melanin with the help of tyrosinase.

There are various treatment options for skin lightening. Most of the treatments are topical, while some are oral. Each treatment option usually focuses on reducing melanin production by inhibiting tyrosinase as it is the enzyme that catalyzes the production of melanin.

Skin Lightening with Hydroquinone:
Hydroquinone is an organic compound also known as benzene-1,4-diol. It is used to reduce the production of melanin by inhibiting the production of tyrosinase. As tyrosinase catalyzes the production of melanin, inhibition of tyrosinase results in inhibition of melanin. It is one of the most effective compound for inhibition of tyrosinase but in some countries like France its use has been banned due to associated risks of Cancer. For long, it has been an essential ingredient of many skin whitening creams, lotions.

Skin Lightening with Azelaic acid:
Azelaic acid is a saturated dicarboxylic acid produced naturally. It reduce skin pigmentation and widely used for skin whitening or lightening. Azelaic acid has an anti proliferative and cytotoxic effect on melanocytes. It is rather less effective than Hydroquinone and its competitor. It is also used for treating acne and dark spots after pimples have disappeared.

Skin Lightening with Kojic acid:
Kojic acid is produced by several species of fungi like Aspergillus oryzae. It has a variety of its uses. Japanese use it in foods as a promoting agent. It is also used for inhibiting production of tyrosinase and melanin. It is also used in various creams and lotions available in the market for skin whitening.

Skin Lightening with Mequinol:
Mequinol is cytotoxic to melanocytes. It is clinically effective in inhibiting melanogenesis and used as a combination of 2% 4HA cream and 0.01% retinoic acid. It is an effective chemical compound widely used as tyrosinase and melanin inhibitor.

Conclusion:
Skin lightening and skin whitening are two similar terms used alternatively. Both the terms refers to reduction in melanin, a coloring pigment produced by special types of cells called melanocytes. An enzyme called tyrosinase catalyzes the production of melanin. Therefore, most of the skin whitening treatment focuses on reduction of tyrosinase that ultimately reduces the production of melanin.