Ingredients that help with hyperpigmentation (thread)

- Arbutin
- Kojic Acid
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide
- Alpha & Beta Hydroxy Acids
- Licorice Extract
- Azealic Acid
- Linoleic Acid
- Retinol
- Bearberry
- Green Tea Extract

Hydroquinone has the been good standard for treating hyperpigmentation. But to the risks of side effects such as exogenous ochronosis (blue black pigmentation) and permanent depigmentation, it’s banned in some countries from cosmetics & only allowed through prescription.

The original tweet are alternatives to HQ. They are tyrosinae inhibitors.

Tyrosinae is the enzyme that turns tyrosine, an amino acid, into melanin. Tyrosinae inhibitors slow down the pigment factories in the skin (melanocytes). Overproduction of melanocytes is what causes hyperpigmentation.

Hyperpigmentary disorders of the skin like melasma, agespots or solar lentigo can result from the overproduction and accumulation of melanin.

Alpha Arbutin is a derivative of HQ found in berries, wheat & pears! It’s an effective treatment for hyperpigmentation, and displays less cytotoxicity than HQ. Higher % of AA is more effective, but beware that it can cause hyperpigmentation.

Kojic acid comes from mushrooms! It a tyrosinae (enzyme that causes melanin) inhibitor. It’s a skin brightening agent and popular ingredient for melasma.

Azelaic Acid comes from yeast! It brightens the skin tone while visibly improving the evenness of skin texture and reducing the look of blemishes. Specifically known for treating melasma & acne.

Azealic Acid is able to bind amino and carboxyl groups and may prevent the interaction of tyrosine in the active site of tyrosinase — making it a competitive tyrosinae inhibitor.

Licorice extract comes from licorice, obviously. It’s popular in traditional Chinese Medicine. Licorice contains glabridin, which has been shown to prevent sun spots (from UVB rays), lighten pigmentation and be an anti-irritant for sensitive skin.

L-Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) comes from citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables. It’s water soluble vitamin & the most plentiful antioxidant in human skin. It’s interferes with melanin synthesis, which helps to brighten the skin.

L-Ascorbic Acid is highly unstable and oxidizes & decomposes in water solution. The more stable version, magnesium-l-ascorbyl-2-phosphate (MAP) is more lipophilic and has a greater penetration through the the skin.

Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) a lipophilic (water loving) antioxidant in the body, derived vegetables, vegetable oil and nuts. It can help with hyperpigmentation due to an increase in intracellular glutathione and the inhibition of tyrosinase.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) comes from niacin which is found in root vegetables and yeast. It improves barrier function & reduces sebum production. Improves appearance of photo aged skin (wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, redness).

Niacinamide is believed help hyperpigmentation by down-regulating transfer of melanosomes from the melanocytes to the keratinocytes (protein in epidermis/skin). But it is not a tyrosinae inhibitor.

Another way to lighten hyperpigmentation is by acceleratimh skin turnover and/or disperse melanin pigment. Chemical exfoliates stimulates the removal of pigmented upper layer keratinocytes to lighten hyperpigmentation.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids are organic acids that comes from fruit, plants and milk sugars. They’re used to treat dry skin, acne, sun damage and to improve skin color/texture. It can also help sun spots, melasma and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (ex: dark spots from pimples).

At low concentrations AHAs promotes exfoliation by loosening up skin cells and stimulating new cells in the basal layer (bottom layer in the epidermis).

Salicylic Acid (beta Hydroxy Acid) has exfoliating and antiseptic properties. It comes from sweet birch, willow bark and wintergreen. It regulates cell growth and differentiation. It’s act as a desquamating agent (skin shedding). it’s also oil soluble, helping penetrate the pore.

Retinoids are a common treatment for acne, sun damage and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (ex: dark spots from acne). Its thought to be a tyrosinae inhibitor, disperses pigmented skin cells, reduces pigment transfer, & loosens skin cells (increases skin turnover)

**Solar lentigo = sun spots.

I’m not against L-Ascorbic Acid by the way, but don’t be surprised if it irritates your skin.

***Keratinocytes are skin cells.