Fade Cream Info – Read First
If you have brown patches of skin on your face you should consider a fade cream. Melasma, the appearance of brown spots, can be triggered by birth control pills, pregnancy or any medications which increase your sensitivity to the sun.
Topical creams can help fade these spots over time. It is through trial and error that you will find which ingredients work best for you. It can take several months to see a noticeable improvement so patience is indeed a virtue. It is best to work with a dermatologist and follow their directions. When using topical creams sunscreen is vital. Exposure to sun will weaken the effectiveness of your cream. Several ingredients used to treat melasma can also increase your skins sensitivity to the sun. Lack of proper protection can damage your skin and possibly worsen the melasma. Recommended sunscreens contain zinc and titanium dioxide. Use one with a minimum of 30 SPF.
Hydroquinone, a bleaching agent is probably the most commonly used treatment for melasma. You can get non-prescription treatments which contain 2% hydroquinone. For better results, prescriptions contain 4%. You can get good results with prescription creams with topical steroids. Salicylic acid, kokic acid, vitamin C, licorice extract, azeleic acid and lactic acid are other effective topical agents. beneficial ingredients
An effective treatment for melasma is to combine skin lightening agents such as hydroquinone and exfoliating agents like glycolic acid or vitamin A. For a more natural alternative to hydroquinone, kojic acid is a popular ingredient in Asian skin lightening products. This may be a solution if you prefer plant based ingredients or if hydroquinone is too harsh for your skin.
The various fade cream products can cause side effects. Hydroquinone can actually cause brown spot to get darker or give the skin a bluish tinge. However this is rare. Creams containing steroids can cause thinning of the skin and spider veins. Derivatives of Vitamin A can be drying. It is strongly recommended that you use these skin treatments under the direction of a dermatologist for these reasons.
Fade creams can make a dramatic difference in your melasma when used on a regular basis. Incomplete fading is still a possibility. There are several products available with various combinations of ingredients so it can take time to find the fade cream that works best for your skin type.
