All about Skin Whitening

Whether the problem is freckles, age spots, acne scars, or an uneven skin tone, it seems that skin whitening is a priority for people of all ages. Asian women in particular need products for skin whitening even more than other ethnicities, due to their yellow-toned complexions that darken with age. But, they are not alone in their need for skin whitening. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity or what age or even gender happen to be, skin whitening can help improve the look of your skin by evening out the tone, making it look years younger.

There are several ways to whiten skin. Some are more high-tech than others. However, whitening skin can be done at home and doesn’t require any kind of medical supervision. It may not be as quick or as effective as a treatment for skin whitening done at a spa or dermatologist’s office, but with enough patience anyone can lighten their skin if they really want to.

Cream Whiteners

There are a variety of skin whitening products that are sold in most beauty shops that can do the trick. They can have different acids or vitamin extracts in them. Cream whiteners can help with lightening the skin, but there are also chemical peels that can be done at home which may be more effective.

Chemical Peels

Now, you can buy chemical peels containing concentrations of glycolic or azelaic acid. They are commercially available and require multiple treatments, but they are just topical creams. You will use them to help remove the top layers of the skin, which may be pigmented or scarred to reveal newer skin underneath. This can be one way to treat dark age spots or acne blemishes by skin whitening them at home.

If you want a stronger facial peel, they are available but often require professional intervention for a prescription or application. There are risks to people with heart conditions using phenol peels, which are the strongest. They do lighten the skin considerably and work well to even the tone.

Laser Treatments

This is the high tech alternative, which may appeal to people who want quick results. Be aware though that what may work well for a very fair complexioned person might not work well for a darker skin tone. Instead of lightening the skin, it has been noticed that laser treatment can darken skin with excessive melanin already in it. So, be very careful and check with the professional to know if your skin type can benefit from laser treatments for skin whitening, or if you are better off sticking to more conventional treatments.

Natural Alternatives

There are some natural treatments that have been used to whiten age spots or reduce the appearance of freckles. It may be surprising to know that tea tree oil can lighten the appearance of age spots and lemon juice has been an old-time skin-whitening agent for years for freckles. If you are looking for skin whitening, the answer just might be at your local health food store.

Dermabrasion has only become popular since the 1950’s when the high-speed dermabrasion tools were created. It is sometimes referred to as a “non-chemical” peel. The tools used are a diamond wheel or abrasive wire to scrape away surface layers of the skin while it is frozen or otherwise prepared for the procedure. It is used to give the face a smoother appearance by reducing the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles and evening out skin tone. It is done under general or local anesthesia and is similar to laser resurfacing in how it works.

The concept of dermabrasion is to remove the top layers of the skin and reduce the appearance of scarring, spots, or wrinkles. It is a technique that requires great skill on the part of the operator who has to gauge the correct depth of the skin removal. If they go too deep, scarring result. Not deep enough and the results may be less than expected.

The risks associated with dermabrasion are the same as with laser resurfacing. The deeper the dermabrasion, the longer it will take to heal. You have to be under anesthesia, either general or local, to have the procedure performed. Like laser resurfacing, it is also a procedure that involves pain upon healing. It will require several months to heal and you won’t be able to apply make-up or cosmetic products for a period of time while you are healing. You can experience infections, fever blisters, cysts, and redness after the procedure has been completed. Careful supervision of your skin needs to be done even after you are no longer in the doctor’s office.

There are various types of dermabrasion that depend on what is used to remove the skin surface. There is another type of dermabrasion called tumescent dermabrasion, which uses sand paper to remove the top skin layers. Microdermabrasion uses aluminum oxide crystals, however, this is more in conjunction with other treatments like chemical peels to help reduce aging and get a polished look. It is less invasive than the other types of dermabrasion but it’s not as effective on wrinkles as a treatment all on its own.

Dermabrasion works well for people who have sun-damaged skin or damage from a lifetime of smoking. It can help to peel back the years, like a chemical peel, exposing newer and fresher skin underneath. It is a very invasive procedure, though, and care should be taken to understand the risks involved.

The reasons for its popularity amount to the difference in cost between laser resurfacing and dermabrasion. While laser resurfacing will set you back several thousand dollars, dermabrasion is typically within the hundreds. If you are trying to save money but still resurface your skin’s topology than dermabrasion can be a good choice for you. However, keep in mind to check about your particular skin type with your dermatologist or plastic surgeon before committing to a procedure that can scar or damage certain types of skin. Hyper pigmentation can also result in skin with excess melanin.

Chemical Peel Information

Great advances have been made in the technology of the chemical peel over the years. There are mild chemical peels that can be bought from a beauty retailer to much more severe chemical peels that need to be done in the care of a licensed professional. The trade-off is that some of the milder peels take several applications and may not be as effective as the severe chemical peels, but they are safe for just about everyone. The phenol chemical peels are the heavy-duty peels that work great for fair-skinned people but darker complexioned people should avoid them as it may lighten their skin too much. Also, people with heart problems can have adverse reactions to a phenol chemical peel. But, there are so many options today to help you pick a great chemical peel that reducing wrinkles can be as easy as ordering a product online.

Alpha Hydroxy Peels

These peels include glycolic acid carboxylic acid peels. They are made from natural substances like sugar cane, sour milk, or tomato juice. They are gentle enough for everyone to use. They can treat light wrinkles; uneven pigmentation and can even improve acne. They smooth out the skin texture. Most people have to do more than one peel to see results and they can have some discomforting side effects like redness, a stinging sensation when applied, and some skin dryness afterwards. However, they are very economical, effective and safe for most consumers.

Retinoic Acid Peel

Retin-A was first marketed as an anti-acne cream. It soon became apparent that it works great for fighting the signs of aging too. The problem with this type of peel is that you need a prescription to get such a product. The reasons for this safeguard are the many side-effects that can occur, some very serious with the use of high dosages of vitamin A, as is present in Retinoic products. Women who are in childbearing years or are pregnant are the most vulnerable. Excessive dosages of vitamin A, whether taken internally or absorbed through the skin, are known to cause birth defects. So, to keep this segment of the population safe, a prescription is required. However, the treatment is very effective against wrinkles and aging.

Phenol Peels

One can’t really go over all the peels available on the market today. You can get a variation of the different ingredients at places that specialize in facials, like a spa. Some even create their own chemical peels using ingredients that they have found to work well. Regardless, you want to know the risks and benefits associated with any chemical peel before you agree to use it.

Phenol chemical peels are the strongest chemicals used to instigate a facial peel. This works so well that even deep wrinkles are smoothed out and it can also be used to remove precancerous growths. It permanently removes freckles too. The risks, as stated earlier, can be severe. It takes several months to heal and people with heart problems should avoid this peel. Dark-skinned people may not be able to use this peel due to the effectiveness of the lightening effect on the skin.

Not all skin is alike. Darker skin needs more moisturizing than whiter skin. But, what happens when you have Asian skin? It’s also has its own unique requirements. Asian skin care may be the trickiest skin to deal with. It has some great positives in that it is slower to show wrinkles. However, it also has the most tone variation, making it difficult to match make-up or know what your skin’s needs are. It can be difficult to get a good match of to the skin tone in Asian skin care products or the skin can have age spots or uneven tone as it ages.

It’s natural, for instance, for Asian skin to have a yellow undertone that even gets more noticeable as they age. If your main concern is not wrinkles, then you may be wondering what looks okay and what doesn’t or how best to lighten and keep your skin looking more even toned as you continue to grow older. Much of the focus in Asian skin care is how to lighten and keep the skin evenly toned.

Asian skin care, particularly in America, can be a hit or miss process. Many of the same ingredients that work well for dark-skinned or Caucasian people do not work well with Asians. Preservatives, alcohol or perfumes may be good additives for Caucasian skin care, but it can produce irritation if used as Asian skin care. This is because Asians have larger pores than Caucasians and they need to keep their pores from clogging more to prevent acne, a condition that can trouble Asian skin. Even the types of oils used can be a potential problem in Asian skin care, if they are known to be comedogenic.

If you are an Asian person who has become Americanized, your diet will have probably changed too. This can affect the amount of oil your skin produces, making it greasier in texture than most Asian skin that has a typical Asian diet. This is due to the heavy emphasis of fat in the American diet. So, care has to be taken to eat properly to keep from aggravating the oil glands into producing more oil and thus potentially aggravating an acne condition.

Asian women need to look for yellow-based make-up foundations that are non-comedogenic. They will want to keep away from any oily products that they might use on their hair too, so it doesn’t aggravate the skin near it. Asian skin care needs regular exfoliation treatments to stay smooth and evenly tone. They need to pay attention to their diet and eliminate stressors not normally present in an Asian diet, like an over-consumption of fatty meats. As they get older, they will want to look for treatments to lighten the skin and even out the tone to get rid of a sallow appearance.

Having Asian skin is neither a curse nor a blessing. All skin types have their own unique advantages or disadvantages. If you know you have Asian heritage, then it makes sense to include elements of good Asian skin care in your daily beauty routine.

Men’s skin care isn’t just a fad. It’s here to stay. As more and more men begin to realize the health value of good men’s skin care, the less doubts they have about committing to it. Gone are the days when men’s skin care consisted of an aftershave. Now, you have products for the nails and hands, the face, the feet, and the back.

Nails and Hands

The hands are the second most exposed area of the body, next to the face. People do make judgments on your appearance based on how you look and in business, it’s important to always keep a clean and professional appearance. This includes the hands and nails. More and more men are getting men’s skin care products to relieve common conditions like dry, chapped, skin on their hands. When they go to shake hands in a business deal, they don’t want someone to think they just shook hands with a crocodile.

The Face

This is one area that has really blossomed for men. Men do have many of the same conditions that women have like acne, dry skin, discoloration, and more. However, until recently, they weren’t particularly interested in treating them. Now, men’s skin care lines are catering to men who want to have beautiful facial skin too. Men have their own unique set of issues which makes sense that they should have their own set of men’s skin care products. They shave which can cause daily irritation to the skin. Male adolescents are more prone to acne then women and need special products during those times too. The majority of men’s skin care products are in this area. There are aftershave and facial grooming supplies, lip balms, and facial scrubs.

The Feet

Men are often working tough on their feet. They need a soak and a daily moisturizer too. They may not want to go to the spa, but they can still find time to treat their feet at home with foot care products. While the line of men’s skin care products is expanding most are concentrated on the face and hands. However, there are some that sell men’s skin care foot soaks with manly scents to boot.

The Back

If your man likes a good massage, this is one place he’ll be thrilled with a men’s skin care product. Back skin care can include acne treatment or loofah exfoliations. Pampering the back can be a very relaxing and caring gift for a man.

As can be seen by the proliferation of men’s skin care products, this area is just now starting to boom. Some experts estimate that this market area will grow by 58% yearly. It makes sense because men’s skin care isn’t just about smelling good; it’s about good health care habits. This can be impressive to the ladies as well as to the business clients they work with daily. In a competitive world, it pays to look and feel one’s best when trying to close a deal or impress a new client.

Aside from water, collagen is one of the most important substances in our body. Collagen helps to support your muscles and bones and is also the biggest component that makes up your hair, skin, and nails. However, collagen is a depleting resource. As we age, our bodies lose the ability to create collagen and we start to experience wrinkles, our hair can thin and our muscles and joints can suffer too. The overall effect of a lack of collagen in your body is a tired, worn-out appearance. To learn all about collagen from diet to medical cosmetic treatments, read on.

Diet Support To Maintain Collagen Levels

For women, the biggest impact they can have on their collagen levels is to balance out their hormones. Estrogen has been shown to increase the skin’s moisture content by increasing the presence of hyaluronic acid in the skin. Hyaluronic acid’s main job is to support the collagen in the skin. Thus, keeping a good hormonal balance with estrogen, can help to reduce aging. Foods that can help you balance your hormones include soybeans, royal jelly, and flax seed.

Collagen in Supplements

There are a variety of natural supplements that can boost your collagen levels internally. If it is hard to get foods into your diet that helps your collagen levels, you can get the same results by supplementing it with collagen pills.

Collagen Injections

Collagen injections are derived from bovine collagen. They use the same principle of building up the collagen in the body to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. They are used to “fill-in” laugh lines and worry marks and they are not permanent. The body eventually absorbs the collagen and you will need to do the treatments again to keep a youthful appearance. How long it is before the effects fade is an individual matter. Some people experience long-term good results with collagen injections and others seem to see a breakdown in a little over three weeks. There’s no way to tell which way your body will react with collagen injections. Like with all treatments that involve some intrusive measures, you can have allergic reactions to collagen injections. Always only have collagen injections done in the presence of a licensed professional.

Collagen In Make-Up

Many cosmetics understand the value of having collagen in their make-up and cosmetic products. It can pump up lips and make them look fuller. It can give the skin a better tone. Anti-wrinkle creams often work with the main ingredient being collagen. Collagen appears to be very safe to wear on the surface of the skin and does a good job keeping the years at bay.

Collagen is one substance that anyone can add to their health routine, whether it is through diet, cosmetic products or in natural supplements. It is easy to boost the levels of collagen in your skin even if the effects aren’t permanent; they are good enough for most people. It stands to reason that the less collagen you lose over the course of your life, the younger you look. So, you can start building up your collagen supplies today.