Natural Skin Lightening

As if dealing with acne weren't difficult enough, the aftermath of acne scars adds insult to injury. Long after a pimple has dried up and gone away, acne scars remain to mottle your complexion. You can eat right, exercise, and drink gallons of water with absolutely no effect on your complexion.

Acne scars are another form of hyperpigmentation. As the skin tries to repair the area where the pimple occurred, it lays down new skin cells which concentrates the brown skin pigment melanin, and this creates darker toned scars where the acne lesion was located.

One tactic that works with this condition is to increase cell turnover by rapid exfoliation. Look for products that contain natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and amino fruit acids which will accelerate the shedding of dead skin cells. Once you have shed this hyperpigmented skin, protect the new skin with sunscreen as part of your skin care regimen.

Hyperpigmentation can occur with all skin types, but it appears more pronounced in black and brown skin. Even a small injury that causes a break in the skin such as a bug bite can cause the healing process to begin laying down hyperpigmented skin. Over time you can imagine what this does to your complexion. Just one or two breakouts a year can do a lot of damage.

An uneven skin tone can really wreak havoc on your self-esteem so a plan of action is vital to even things out. Usually a cleanser, toner, exfoliant, fade cream, and sunblock from the same line of products gets the best results. Since you will need to use several skin care products, going as natural as possible will cut down on your toxic load.

In the past, creams containing hydroquinone were considered the gold standard of fade creams; however, this ingredient is problematic and controversial. In tests, rats given high doses hydroquinone developed cancer. It's also known to cause ochronosis, a bluish black discoloration of the skin.

One good thing is that its removal from the Japanese and European skin care markets has spurred interest in alternative pigment-lightening ingredients

Melasma is sometimes called chloasma or the mask of pregnancy. In this condition, the skin darkens around the nose and cheeks to form a sort of mask. Often this happens due to hormonal changes (oral contraceptives), but it also has a lot to do with sun exposure. Too much sun can lead to irregular pigmentation patterns on the face. Melasma that is associated with pregnancy will fade away after delivery.

In men, the most common cause of melasma is unprotected sun exposure. An easy preventative for this is to minimize time spent in direct sunlight as well as wearing a hat and sunblock. Make sure the sunblock has an SPF over 30. If you must be out in the sun for long periods, make sure it's a water resistant formula that way you won't sweat it off.

If you have melasma, consider using a fade cream with a natural lightener such as licorice extract, bearberry, mulberry root, lemon, and vitamin C. These natural lighteners are not toxic or irritating like hydroquinone--the chemical used in many over-the-counter skin lightening creams. Many of these botanicals are used in combination with vitamin C which is required for collagen synthesis which declines in aging skin.