A question of whether or not to lighten facial skin is on the mind of women of all ages. There are different reasons a lot of women decide to do it.
Remedies to Lighten a Skin: Creams and Masks
Well, it should be marked that some ladies like their swarthy skin and they would never try to lighten it. In ancient times white skin was considered to be the upper class membership. Such people were even ranked among the Gods! Japanese women used to lighten their skin using lotus. The light skin is quite popular in Japan up to this day as it points to a relation with the Gods. That is why many people used to spend a lot of time in the sun in order to lighten their hair color.
In India, light skin is a privilege of high castles. It is a grace to have such skin color. In ancient Rus’ light skin and sable brows were considered a symbol of national beauty.
Lightening of skin is also a method to get rid of freckles and pigment spots.
Cause of Pigment Spots on One’s Face and Body
The principle reason is freckles or ephelides to be noticeable in spring time. But freckles have nothing in common with chloasmas. They are quite large skin locations with modified pigmentation one can see in elderly women and even in young ladies on hands and face. Sometimes such spots cover big locations of a body.
It is important to know the reasons of such pigmentation in order to lighten them correctly. If they appeared after a disease, then they will disappear after the recovery. For example, as soon as you get rid of intestine problems, your skin will become clean and healthy. Chloasmas and pigment spots appear with age. The reason is not only hormonal changes, but aged-related ones. The fact of the matter is that such women abused sun baths and didn’t protect their skin from the sun. This is a kind of punishment of new cells by way of pigmental spots. That is why it’s very important to protect one’s skin from the sun in solarium and when going outside.
Agents to Lighten Skin
Any agents meant to lighten a skin are divided into active with side effects to happen from time to time (allergic rash, dermatitis) and more safe ones.
Skin pigmentation is face and skin coloration though melanin – a specific agent to produced by a body. It is produced as a defense reaction in young people to ultraviolet rays: dangerous rays affect the skin a little.
Unfortunately, melanin is not enough for skin protection. Sunburn or light skin darkening after walking testifies to some lack of UV protection.
That means one needs to use solar-control agents every day. Decorative cosmetics have few filters and can’t provide us with required protection from the sun.
The Process of Skin Lightening
There are two stages of skin lightening: mechanical effect with a purpose of peeling and reduction of melanin.
Mechanical effect removes melanin and makes your skin lighter. That’s why peeling is an additional remedy to lighten one’s skin. Peeling agents should contain lactic, lemon and glycolic acids, АHА, Alpha hydroxy acids.
Hydroquinone also lessens melanin amount and affects toxically. Be careful with it! Kojic acid also puts down melanin production and may provoke an allergy. Cosmetics with azelaic and ascorbic acid reduce melanin too.
All these agents are used by professionals in beauty salons. If you want to lighten your skin at home, use folk remedies, but only proven and safe ones.
Home Remedies
Folk remedies have little effect compared with chemical preparations but they are not as dangerous.
Yarrow – this plant is rich in flavonoids to suppress the melanin in the skin.
Bearberry – this plant has arbutin, hydroquinone and vegetative acids. Hydroquinone is not a concentrate in a plat. But be careful while using it.
A sap of a cucumber or lemon contains a lot of vegetative acids which are useful cosmetically and for nourishment.
Parsley – contains over-the-air oils to lighten one’s skin perfectly. It should be noted that many cosmetic companies add parsley extract to creams. It lightens a skin and makes it smooth. Also parsley extract has sedative effect and eliminates edemas.
Licorice has lightening effect due to organic acids and phenol junction.
In order to get maximal effect, apply these ingredients in different masks.
Professional Skin Lightening
Cosmetology clinics provide a range of procedures, such as: dermabrasion, laser polishing, cryotherapy and so on. Consult a doctor and choose an appropriate method to lighten your skin.
Sometimes applying creams may harm the skin. Before you buy it, read the instruction thoroughly. If a lightening cream contains kojic acid, you will also get a healing effect. High amount of mercury is not safe for the skin. Take an allergy test before using it. Also these agents are contraindicated in case of pregnancy and breast feeding. If you have a normal or a bit oily skin, you can lighten it with 2% spirit. First, wash your face and use tonic. Apply spirit for 2 weeks and do interval for 4 days. Then use it 2 weeks more.
How to Use It?
Rub your skin with cotton wool, wet in spirit. In case you feel any irritation or redness, substitute it for olive oil. After the procedure, powder your face with potato starch or use a talc powder. During the intervals, rub the face with non-fat kefir.
A diverse amount of creams may be found in a drugstore or a shop; you can also make it by yourself. Mix 15 mg of lanolin and essential oil of almond, peach, macadamia, avocado or grape seeds (50 mg).; add a tablespoon of grated fresh cucumber, cover with aluminium foil and put on water bath for one hour. Mix and strain it off. Then put it in a fridge.
Use it 2 hours before sleeping. Rub it into problem skin zones. Do 3 days interval in a week.
Essential Oils to Lighten a Skin
Lemon and orange oils are leaders in skin lightening. Moreover, they slowdown the process of aging, rejuvenate the skin and normalize oil gland functioning on a face.
Henna to Lighten One’s Skin
If you take henna, it should be colorless. Add it to masks for pigment spots only. Follow the instructions and moisten your skin after the procedure. Another advantage of henna is that it kills bacteria.
Freckles Prophylaxis
If you want to prevent freckles, it is necessary to protect then skin from direct sunbeams. Put on hats and sunglasses. Protect your skin by using special creams with UV filters. Minimal degree of protection is 15 SPF. Such protection is for misty day only. In case a climate you live in is hot and you like basking in the sun, use no less than 30 SPF.
You can prevent freckles development if you take nicotine or ascorbic acids (consult a doctor first). Eat more fruits and vegetables, take a dog rose tincture. In summer you can use special cosmetic agents to reach needed results.
