It’s not all about acnes anymore, One of majority youth problem nowadays are dealing with dull skin. We are so excited when it comes to do outdoor activities but however this might causes our skin especially face to look dull either because we’re tired or being under the sun quite too long and the foods that we’re consuming wasn’t healthy enough.
So could you please give us pieces of advice how can we brighten up our skintone and is there any way to brighten your dull skin organically/naturally within short amount of time?
Do you also have suggestion of what’s the ideal proportion of foods that we have to consume to maintain it? What are they?
Thank you.
IG : Rizkissesyou
Hi Rizkiyah,
One’s skin tone often appears dark because of uneven pigmentation that has developed over the years with ageing and sun damage, as well as having dull skin. A quick in-office treatment will be a chemical peel performed by a dermatologist, using glycolic or lactic acids in combination with a laser treatment. In my clinic, we do both as part of a skin rejuvenating treatment on the same day. The results of this is usually apparent right after treatment, especially after applying the amino acid masque which contains Vitamin C and various plant extracts that helps to shrink the pores and helps in brightening the skin tone.
Be careful of some alternative skin brightening methods as they can be dangerous. In particular, do be wary of cosmetic products that promise exaggerated or miraculous results, as recommended by the Health Sciences Authority with some recent high profile cases of illegal cosmetics. Such products when purchased from unfamiliar sources may be prohibited, for example due to the dangerously high levels of mercury. This toxic heavy metal is in fact prohibited as an ingredient in skincare formulations as it can cause rash, skin discolouration and blotching. Chronic exposure to mercury may also cause damage to kidneys, digestive and nervous systems.
Another controversial method would be lightening creams containing ingredients such as hydroquinone and retinoids (tretinoin), which can cause serious adverse reactions. While these substances may be commonly used in a dermatologist’s office as treatment for skin conditions, the potency requires it to be prescribed only by an accredited medical professional under strict medical supervision.
Other means of skin lightening such as intravenous glutathione treatments (injection) can be unsafe. Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our cells and has skin-lightening abilities by converting melanin to a lighter color and cause reduction of melanin production as a whole. As with any treatments involving direct delivery to the bloodstream, additional caution should be exercised in consultation with an accredited medical professional. While glutathione has been proven safe for oral and topical treatments, we cannot say the same when it is injected into the bloodstream, given the inadequate safety data presently. Serious skin disorders, kidney dysfunction and thyroid function impairment have been reported in some cases.
Dr Teo Wan Lin
Dermatologist