[guesswhoiam]

does SMOKING cause increased melanin?

is there anything that eating will cause the skin to actually MAKE MORE MELANIN?

im not sure since elsewhere i had focused on what is good to eat, more than what NOT TO EAT...

but do these foods actually cause more melanin? or is it just a case of harmless, even beneficial pigments inthe bloodstream (like carrots beta carotene) or temporary dehydration(like alcohol consumption)

sugars
sat fat
potaters, mushrooms or other tyrosine-laden foods
CHOCOLATE
CAFFEINE
beer??????????

 

[Lajdnie]

Smoking turns people a really ugly yellowish colour, so no, it doesn't cause darkening.

 

[Lexi2009]

Carrots will actually make you "tan" not more melanin but you will turn a nice hue of fake bake if you eat enough. There was a time I worked with a girl who drank carrot juice and ate carrots constantly and she was as orange as Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham. It works if that is what you are looking for. There are things like l-tyrosine and such that help make melanin but whether they work is still debatable. Melanaton is a product that, for some reason, all but one company in Australia will not touch. The Australian company is trying to develop it and frankly I wish they would get a bit less resistance because there are PLENTY of people who are addicted to the sun and being tan and who will die of skin cancer. It is a product that stimulates the brain to produce melanin inducing hormone. At present it is available in some limited clinical trials and by injection on the internet illegally. It does work though and it does increase melanin and with minimal sun exposure it can turn someone very brown, even those who rarely or never tan.

 

[CaramelCola]

Today I actually thought about picking up some Sally Hansen Airbrush tan stuff.. not for the darker effect but the glow...but im not sure what the effect would be on my already brown skin.. next time ill sqirt a bit and see if i notice any changes..

 

[Lexi2009]

Today I actually thought about picking up some Sally Hansen Airbrush tan stuff.. not for the darker effect but the glow...but im not sure what the effect would be on my already brown skin.. next time ill sqirt a bit and see if i notice any changes..

If you want to make darker skin shine you can do a few things, natural oils like coconut or almond (which smell good) or even vaseline if it is on areas like legs and you are not going to rub all over things. Otherwise get some lip gloss glitter and put just a bit on your moisturiser and then moisturise your skin with it on, it spreads out just enough that you glitter without seeming to have glitter on. But be careful to put just a bit on.

 

[Eternal]

thanks Lexi for the tips. I love using the organic coconut oil on my skin and hair too and it smells so nice. I don't use it to tan, so i dont apply it to my face and my body is usually covered to avoid tanning.

 

[guesswhoiam]

so there are no foods proven to actually increase melanin production??

 

[Eternal]

Well, I hope chocolate isn't one of them. I love chocolate to much. besides real dark chocolate has antioxidants in them.

 

[MAdeLong]

I have never even thought about this question before- foods that might affect your pigmentation.... what a great forum!

 

[LightenNLift]

I believe diet/food and lightening is 100% myth, because of the simple fact that when you eat healthy vitamin/minerals rich foods then your body makes as much melanin as it needs for you to be healthy and for it to fullfill its functions in the body, melanocytes are a function that gives you skin color, when you dont eat properly and you are malnourished your body doesnt have the necessary vitamins/minerals to make melanin so you appear pale and tired. The body is going to use all the vitamins/minerals from healthy foods and all types of supplements to give your skin its natural, wholesome glow back and it is going to also have a reddish/pinkish glow because of all the increasing and healthy red blood cells running throughout the body.



Skin | care | talk

 

[guesswhoiam]

there are many drugs which produce hyperpigmentation, so it follows there may be certain foods containing natural compounds consumed in abundance that may trigger a similar response.

ie, many plant compounds influence luteinizin hormone which plays a role in regulating melanogenesis at least in vitro

that might make a great research topic for Mitch or others!

 

[karenannev]

Carrots will actually make you "tan" not more melanin but you will turn a nice hue of fake bake if you eat enough. There was a time I worked with a girl who drank carrot juice and ate carrots constantly and she was as orange as Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham. It works if that is what you are looking for. There are things like l-tyrosine and such that help make melanin but whether they work is still debatable. Melanaton is a product that, for some reason, all but one company in Australia will not touch. The Australian company is trying to develop it and frankly I wish they would get a bit less resistance because there are PLENTY of people who are addicted to the sun and being tan and who will die of skin cancer. It is a product that stimulates the brain to produce melanin inducing hormone. At present it is available in some limited clinical trials and by injection on the internet illegally. It does work though and it does increase melanin and with minimal sun exposure it can turn someone very brown, even those who rarely or never tan.

Oh my gosh, I'd rather DIE than touch that stuff!!! Why are Australians so obsessed with being tanned??? I'm not! Oh and I used to eat lots of carrots too, and although I love them, won't touch 'em now

.

 

[MAdeLong]

I think a carrot or two would be fine....

 

[LeisaWatkins]

I eat a fair amount of carrots and have not experienced any orange skin pigmentation. A couple times a week, along with a couple of tablespoons in a salad every day is not enough to cause pigmentation I believe.

Unless...

You are taking plenty of supplemental beta carotene tablets.

I learned in an episode of Good Eats that your body will story the excess beta carotene until it needs it and that is what makes your skin orange.

So if you eat, or supplement, to maintain the correct balance of beta carotene you should not have any problems.

 

[karenannev]

I think a carrot or two would be fine....

Thanks MAdeLong. I know, I'm just being paranoid and a bit silly!

.

 

[karenannev]

Leisa, thanks. I know you are right about the excess betacarotene. Ondine mentioned the same thing. I really should have realised myself. I am trying to find a good multivitamin without betacarotene right now.

 

[haiji]

foods,that contain alot of sulfur,can lighten the skin,i'am on a very healthy and organic diet,i think that why my skin looks so great,it give my creams a boost!

 

[ondine]

You tried the tri-luma, right? Were you able to find it for a reasonable price? The sources I've seen want a fortune for it.

 

[LightenNLift]

Ondine, I have used the Triluma, the 15gram tube, used the whole thing up for the hyperpigmented body areas then started on the F&F, i gotta tell you, for the small amount its VERY concentrated, it was 100 dollars for 15 gram tube, thats the cheapest I could find without a prescription, there are often Trilumas for sale on ebay like once in a blue moon that cost around 60 or 65 for a 30 gram tube without a prescription. But if you can obtain a prescription, I think you can buy like 3 tubes for the price of one at expressscripts or expressscrips or whichever, sorry gotta look it up. But I have been on the hunt for a reasonably priced one. Even medsmex has high prices. I did notice something worth looking into, the vendors that sell without a prescription apparently get their Triluma from the Gladerma Manufacturer in Mexico or Spain because the packaging and leaflet is written in espanol.



Skin | care | talk

 

[Crescentmoon]

Ondine, I have used the Triluma, the 15gram tube, used the whole thing up for the hyperpigmented body areas then started on the F&F, i gotta tell you, for the small amount its VERY concentrated, it was 100 dollars for 15 gram tube, thats the cheapest I could find without a prescription, there are often Trilumas for sale on ebay like once in a blue moon that cost around 60 or 65 for a 30 gram tube without a prescription. But if you can obtain a prescription, I think you can buy like 3 tubes for the price of one at expressscripts or expressscrips or whichever, sorry gotta look it up. But I have been on the hunt for a reasonably priced one. Even medsmex has high prices. I did notice something worth looking into, the vendors that sell without a prescription apparently get their Triluma from the Gladerma Manufacturer in Mexico or Spain because the packaging and leaflet is written in espanol.

LNL,

Why not make your own? I recently purchased the Skinlite (RA 0.025%; mometasone 0.1%; HQ 2%).

The active corticosteroid in the Triluma (fluocinolone acetonide 0.01%) is in the same group of steriods as the Skinlite ingredient.

Group B
Triamcinolone acetonide, Triamcinolone alcohol, Mometasone, Amcinonide, Budesonide, Desonide, Fluocinonide, Fluocinolone acetonide, and Halcinonide.

You could purchase the Skinlite and enhance its efficacy (similar to the potency of the Triluma) by adding the higher potency HQ 4%.

Alternatively you could purchase the 3 products independently Tretinoin gel 0.05%, mometasone cream 0.1%, and HQ 4% or at your desired percentages (all avaliable at ADC) and mix as you go in the palm of your hand or in an airtight opague container.

Thus far I used my bumped-up home concoction as a spot treatment and the treated areas clear fairly quickly.