Skin Lightening

Learn how to lighten skin with skin bleaching creams

There are all-natural, skin lightening products made with ingredients proven to be safe. Yet two very common ingredients in other over-the-counter skin lighteners carry significant health warnings. 

1)  Mercury.  Many skin bleaching creams made overseas contain mercury. Mercury toxicity grows with long-term exposure, and skin lighteners require months of repeated use. Prolonged skin exposure to mercury can cause blotching, and even hyperpigmentation (a build-up of skin pigments in a concentrated area). The State of Minnesota outlaws skin products containing mercury based on a different health issue, medical research linking mercury to neurological damage.

2) Hydroquinone.  Another prevalent ingredient in skin bleaching creams is hydroquinone. Any amount above 2% must be prescribed by a doctor. Doctors are limited to 4% solutions. These tight limits stem from the potential side-effects. Allergic reactions have ranged from hives and itching to severe swelling and difficulty breathing. Health officials banned hydroquinone in skin products sold in a majority of countries around the world, except the US.

Active ingredients in safer over-the-counter skin lighteners include natural acids such as kojic acid, as well as effective melanin inhibitors including arbutin.

To learn how to lighten skin, check our list of a safe and effective skin lightening products, please click here.