Your skin colour comes from a natural pigment called “melanin”. Melanin offers some amount of sun protection by absorbing ultraviolet light. As such, darker skin will be less prone to sun damage than fair skin, however avoiding sun exposure between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, as well as wearing sunscreen every day will assist all skin types in premature ageing due to sun damage.
In some cultures, white skin is associated with status, belief and self-image resulting in individuals seeking to lighten their skin tone with the use of creams and lotions. However, many skin whitening and bleaching products contain the toxic and harmful ingredients ‘Hydroquinone’ and ‘mercury’ resulting in sunburn and the eventual development of melasma.
There are however natural ways to lighten the skin tone such as using melanin-inhibiting products with sunscreen and a prescription of retinoid (vitamin A). In addition, regularly exfoliating to shed dead skin cells ensures the skin appears bright and healthy.
