Alpha Arbutin

For years, the skin whitener of choice worldwide was hydroquinone. But recent developments in science have determined that although this is perhaps the most effective way to bleach skin and make it lighter, there are studies that have shown that using this bleaching agent could cause cancer. In addition, there are many countries that have banned the use of this agent from bleaching creams and even the FDA has considered pulling it off the shelves and making it only available by prescription. Because of this companies that sell bleaching creams have had to find other alternatives to hydroquinone, such as kojic acid, licorice and Alpha Arbutin. In this hub, I am going to discuss why using alpha arbutin is perhaps the most natural and safe way to bleach your skin, get rid of troublesome age spots and even out your complexion for clear and bright skin.

Considering the fact that there are other natural ways to whiten your skin, why would you choose alpha arbutin when it is perhaps the most expensive option out there? First of all, products that use alpha arbutin (such as meladerm) are far safer than most bleach creams. Alpha arbutin is all natural and actually is derived from, of all things, a common weed found in the northern parts of Canada.

As with many of the natural bleaching creams on the market, the reason why they work is they act as melanin inhibitors; in clinical terms, it inhibits tyrosinase. This makes this type of arbutin up to 10 times more effective than the more popular (and cheaper) beta arbutin.  The result is that it works faster and more efficiently than other natural skin whiteners.

Considering the fact that most skin lighteners will cost you roughly $25-100 for a very small bottle, the bigger question should be is lightening your skin really worth what you have to pay for it?  Well, it really depends.  While products like hydroquinone are definitely cheaper, you will have to be able to stomach the risks.  And natural products such as beta arbutin, kojic acid and licorice extract are cheaper than alpha arbutin as well but usually take longer for you to experience results.  The answer to this question all lies in how bad you want lighter skin and what your expectations are as far as how quick the results come.