[Sam xx]

i purchased this 2day cost me £2.09.. it claims it whitens/evens skin tone etc u know the usual.. but now im a bit skeptical in using it.. iv tried searching reviews on it but cant find anything. it has the following ingredients : natural clay, whitening agents, almond oil, vitamin a c and e, aloe vera, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide --- do u think this thins the skin??

 

[ondine]

It would depend on what the whitening agents are. If it is a steroid in a high % age, repear usage could cause thinning. Most so-called lightening/ whitening masks are not left on the skn long enough to affect actual melanin production. Most work by exfoliating dead skin cells away.

 

[Sam xx]

hey ondine.. THANKU for the reply!! ermm it dusnt say wat the agents are which is annoyingg.. it says to use it 2-3 times a week. and leave on 2 dry for 15 - 20 mins.. should i go 4 it? wat do u think? xx

 

[ondine]

IMO, I would NEVER use, or suggest that anyone use something that did NOT have the active ingredients listed clearly as well as their concentrations. The so-called 'lighttening agents' may at best be something ineffective (wasting yr $$$) or at worst something toxic (endangering yr health). Could you tell us the country of origin for this product? Some places are notorious for producing dangerous 'lighteners'. If you read the posts in this forum, you will see that there are lightening regimens that are safe & effective for the majority of people.

HQ4% 2x/day on one day alternated with RA (begin with the weakest strength 0.025%) in the evening only on alternating days will lighten yr skin fairly rapidly & effectively. It is NOT permanent, but you can get dramatic results over time. When you reach yr goal, you reduce usage to a maintenance regimen.

 

[Bella786]

Hey Ondine,

You said the HQ/RA is not permanent. Is there any way to make it permanent? Or does skin always go back to its originl state? Sunscreen?

 

[karenannev]

Hi Bella,

I know I'm not Ondine, but I can help you with this. No, the results you will get from HQ/RA are not permanent (nor are the results from any lightening cream, except perhaps monobenzone) BUT can be kept using a maintenance program of a couple of times a week and/or at lower percentages, and of course the best sunscreen you can get your hands on. The reason for the non-permanency is that the creams are inhibiting melanin production, and if you stop, this production will gradually go back to normal.

 

[Sam xx]

thanx ondine its from alamgeer foods..where do i purchase the HQ product from.. dis is going to sound very stupid but wat is RA??

 

[ondine]

Thanks, Karenannev!

We use so many abbreviations here that it is easy for someone new to get confused. Ra = Retin A (Tretinoin). DErived from Vitamin A, it is an exfoliant that also increases collagen production & has some lightening effect. This is a 'nutshell definition' but it gives you an idea of what it is & what it does.

As for perrmanent, there is some research showing that higer doses of HQ can produce permanent results in some patients BUT most people will need a maintenance regimen. The same is true even for mono20%. This is not so terrible, though. You will need to put cream on yr skin anyways so it might as well be one that is doing something for you. Suncreen will remain a lifelong must, but EVERYONE ought to be using sunblock anyways. It will help prevent the sun from increasing your melanin production BUT you are genetically programmed to produce a certain amt & type of melanin & sunblock will not influence this process. The lightening agent (HQ) will greatly reduce the amt your skin can produce.