Letidora expert, Sofya Igorevna Avanesyants, cosmetologist, dermatovenereologist at the SM-Cosmetology clinic (@sm_krasota), will help you figure out whether home cosmetics can really whiten age spots and how it works.
Sofya Igorevna Avanesyants, cosmetologist, dermatovenerologist at the SM-Cosmetology clinic
Before we talk about whitening cosmetics, it is important to understand how skin spots occur.
Where do pigment spots come from?
Pigment formation is a complex process that involves many factors (for example, excessive melanin production and its uneven distribution on the skin surface).
The cosmetologist at the clinic strives to identify the cause of the spots in order to find the right solution. However, no method can guarantee 100% results. Skin whitening cosmetics, as a rule, are not able to cope with age spots alone.
Therefore, in order to increase the chances of success, doctors combine in-clinic procedures with home care.
Properties and beneficial substances of castor oil
The face is the calling card of every person and it is important that his skin looks healthy, beautiful, clean and has an even color. An age spot noticeably spoils the appearance; many people want to get rid of this phenomenon and are ready to undergo expensive procedures. Spending money does not always bring the desired results; sometimes natural products give the best effect. A familiar castor oil will come to the rescue.
The oil is obtained by processing castor bean seeds. The plant grows in India and Africa and contains poison. Cold pressing is used to extract valuable properties.
The composition contains the following useful components:
- Vitamin E. Characterized as a powerful antioxidant, removes dangerous substances from the skin, protects against harmful environmental influences, starts regeneration processes, moisturizes, and increases elasticity.
- Oleic acid. Forms a protective barrier, retains moisture, increases oil permeability into the deep layers of the dermis.
- Palmitic acid. Improves the turgor of age-related skin, restores damage, and builds a protective barrier.
- Stearic acid. Protects from external influences, restores the hydro-lipid layer.
- Ricinoleic acid.
- Linoleic acid. Prevents dryness, maintains water balance, moisturizes, protects against bacteria. Restores lipid levels, serves as an antibacterial agent, gives velvety and softness.
Due to its unique composition, castor oil has the following beneficial effects on the skin:
- treats skin diseases;
- helps to heal abrasions, cuts and burns faster;
- eliminates small expression wrinkles;
- softens;
- restores turgor;
- enhances collagen production;
- removes pigment spots, warts, blackheads.
To combat a specific symptom and condition, castor oil is mixed with other beneficial natural ingredients.
How do professionals treat pigmentation?
During the course of procedures carried out in the clinic, doctors first of all prescribe restorative, sedatives, and also during daylight hours, sunscreen with a high SPF, from 30 to 50.
At the end of the course, in winter, the cosmetologist will select a cream with retinol or fruit acids in low concentration, and in the summer - serum with vitamin C, the content of which is at least 10%.
The doctor also prescribes the intake of antioxidants - such as vitamin C, E, ubiquinone, bioflavonoids.
Upon completion of the first stage (course of procedures), cosmetologists prescribe the second stage - home care, which works in two directions: exfoliating procedures aimed at renewing the skin and reducing the production of melanocytes - pigment-producing cells.
The frequency of application of bleaching agents depends on the concentration of the substance contained in them.
They can be used daily or once a week at night. The duration of the course is determined by the doctor.
Contraindications
The use of castor oil for external treatment of the skin is prohibited in the following cases:
- in the presence of open wounds in the treatment area;
- before long-term exposure to the sun;
- children under 1 year old;
- pregnant women.
Before the procedure, you can clean your face with baking soda.
If you look at photos of older and fair-skinned people, you can immediately identify pigmented areas. Many factors contribute to the appearance of spots, including excessive sun exposure, taking hormonal medications and much more. If the dermis is prone to pigmentation, it needs help. Castor oil can cure various problems. This is one of the best skin lightening and smoothing products. There are many whitening recipes containing the extract, and it is important to choose the right method, based on the individual reactions of the epidermis to the components of the mixtures.
About mass market and traditional medicine
Folk remedies for removing age spots are innumerable: it is recommended to apply parsley infusion, lemon juice, masks made from black currants, cottage cheese, raw potatoes to problem areas...
For extreme sports enthusiasts, an exclusive option is offered, such as a honey mask with fish oil. Is all this effective?
Plant extracts and acids found in folk skin whitening remedies can actually provide gentle and gradual lightening, as well as improve the overall condition of the skin. However, they are not intended to treat serious problems such as melasma (benign skin pigmentation disorder) or lentigo (brown patches).
In addition, folk remedies can cause an allergic reaction and skin irritation, so they must be used with caution.
As for cosmetics from the mass market, despite advertising promises, they are ineffective.
The active substances that provide the whitening effect are in very low dosages, which is why such products are inexpensive. However, using this cosmetics, it is impossible to achieve a therapeutic effect.
Precautionary measures
- Ether cannot be used undiluted (with rare exceptions and only spot-on).
- A sensitivity test is required before using an essential or herbal product for the first time.
- Sessions using lemon, bergamot or orange esters are best done before bed.
- It is advisable to whiten age spots during periods when the sun is inactive: in autumn and winter, most esters make the skin more susceptible to ultraviolet radiation. Exceptions: esters of parsley, ylang-ylang, vanilla.
- During treatment, you need to use protective cosmetics with SPF.
- The whitening course usually lasts 21 days, followed by a break of 1-2 months.
Direct contraindications to the use of essential products:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding period.
- Personal intolerance to the components of essential products.
- Hormonal imbalances.
- Children's age (only after consultation with a pediatrician).
- Skin diseases in the active phase.
- Use caution in case of vascular and heart diseases, blood pressure problems and bronchial asthma.
About pharmacy and professional products
Pharmacy and professional skin whitening products include azelaic, kojic, ascorbic acids, as well as arbutin and retinol.
These are drugs with a higher concentration of active substances, unlike mass market products. Pharmacy and professional products reduce the production of melanocytes and also provide antioxidant protection.
Products in the photo: nourishing regenerating cream against age spots, Dr Pierre Ricaud; whitening corrector, Jane Iredale; concentrate ampoules for radiance and smoothness of the skin Vitamin C+, BABE Laboratorios; Fresh Tone brightening alginate mask with vitamin C, SmoRodina; brightening gel face mask with bergamot and lemon, KIKO MILANO; con, Institut Esthederm; ampoules for the correction of photoaging, Platinum Photo-Age, MartiDerm; serum with a high content of vitamin C Cyber C, Mimi Luzon; ampoule course for skin tone correction, Doctor Babor
In addition to external preparations (creams, masks, etc.), pharmaceutical and professional products include dietary supplements that contain vitamins C, B12, B1, B2, zinc and amino acids. These substances provide antioxidant protection to the skin, thereby reducing the likelihood of relapses. However, you should not buy such products yourself, focusing only on the instructions, recommendations from friends or reviews on the Internet. It is best to consult with a cosmetologist who will select suitable medications and a regimen for their use.
Sometimes peelings are used to whiten the skin. These are products based on retinol, kojic, lactic or trichloroacetic acid.
Products pictured: skin brightening lotion, Guinot; sunscreen gel-cream for skin with pigmentation and signs of aging SPF50, Bioderma; facial toner with lemon extract Lemon' C, It's Skin; intensive concentrated anti-aging care Redermic Retinol C, La Roche-Posay; moisturizing essence that evens out skin tone, Coscodi; sunscreen cream-gel for skin radiance SPF50+, NARIS Parasola; whitening lotion, preventing pigmentation, HADALABO; dipigmenting cream-gel, Azelac RU, Sesderma; brightening serum C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica; essence-concentrate for skin radiance Vinoperfect, Caudalie; global anti-aging serum AH3 with vitamin C, Topicrem; anti-pigmentation serum, Uriage; brightening serum against age spots, EGIA
Also, two-phase peelings have now appeared that contain a complex of acids, including hyaluronic acid, and amino acids. This peeling will lighten the skin without drying it out and will additionally create a lifting effect.
But peelings work if the pigment is located in the superficial layer of the epidermis, that is, not deep.
Essential oils for age spots on the face
Cosmetologists advise using esters as an effective means of combating pigmentation, which helps relatively quickly and painlessly. In addition, aromatic oils make the skin more elastic and elastic, and increase tone.
Important!
Esters cannot be used in pure (undiluted) form, as this can lead to burns and severe irritation of the facial skin.
Essential oils are added literally drop by drop to base oils (almond, olive, etc.). Cosmetic clay or ready-made cream can also serve as the base for whitening mixtures. A faster effect when using oils for age spots on the face can be achieved by using several esters in combination with the base product.
Thus, the citrus group of esters (orange, lemon, grapefruit, etc.) is characterized as a source of natural antioxidant - vitamin C. They are effective against pigmentation, whiten, soothe the skin and fight rosacea.
Parsley oil for the face against age spots is an excellent antiseptic, whitens and disinfects the epidermis. Contraindicated in pregnancy and kidney disease.
Carrot oil , in addition to whitening, also has a rejuvenating effect, cleanses and fights age-related pigmentation.
Rosewood improves skin tone and stimulates the immune system, restores elasticity and helps get rid of spider veins.
Blue chamomile and eucalyptus esters soothe and regenerate the skin, and also enhance the brightening effect ; they can be added to any mixtures and anti-pigment masks.
Lemon oil for face against age spots
Citrus essential oil is characterized by whitening and rejuvenating properties and is excellent for oily epidermis. Here are some homemade whitening recipes:
- Applications with lemon ether
- Honey (1 teaspoon) + lemon ether (3 drops). Mix, soak cotton pads or pieces of gauze in the mixture, and apply to problem areas for 20 minutes. Course: every day for 3 weeks.
- Citrus ether (7 drops) + hydrogen peroxide (1 teaspoon) + boiled water (1 tablespoon). Apply cotton pads soaked in the resulting mixture to the pigmented areas, hold for 5 minutes, remove and apply moisturizer to your face.
- Whitening masks
- Oils: sea buckthorn (1 tbsp.) and lemon (2 drops). Add ether to the base and apply the resulting mixture to your face and leave for 20 minutes. Wash off with milk. Course: 2 rubles/week.
- Oils: jojoba and lemon (6 drops each) + boiled mashed potatoes (1 tablespoon). Mix everything and apply to a cleansed face, rinse after 10 minutes with clean water.
- Oil scrub
Oils: chamomile (4 drops), lemon (3 drops), wheat germ (7 drops) + a pinch of salt.
Combine all ingredients in one container, apply to age spots, massage. Course: 2 rubles/day until the spots disappear.
Whitening grapefruit oil for face
Lemon juice (1 teaspoon) + grapefruit and rosewood esters (2 drops each) + egg white (1 pc).
Beat the whites with a whisk or blender until foamy, and carefully add the remaining components of the mixture. Keep the mask on your face for 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Course: every other day for 3 weeks. In the recipe, instead of two types of esters, you can use only one - grapefruit, the effect will not change.
Tea tree oil for age spots on the face
Oils: tea tree (10 drops) and olive (30 ml).
Mix, apply to pigmented areas of the face and leave until completely dry. If the mixture burns, do not wait the prescribed time, but remove the mixture immediately with a clean paper towel. The best time for a mask is in the evening, before bed.
Pink ether for age spots on the face
It is obtained by distilling with steam rose hip petals. An excellent, gentle whitening product, suitable even for sensitive epidermis. After a sensitivity test, it is permissible to use it even in its pure form, locally in the form of compresses on age spots (in time - no longer than 10-15 minutes). And also as part of masks and oil mixtures with base oils. For dry types, it is useful to add 1-2 drops of oil to the facial massage cream.
- Anti-pigmentation mask
Oils: olives (1 tablespoon) and roses (5 drops).
Combine and heat a little in a water bath. Lubricate problem areas and leave for 30 minutes. Course: daily until lasting improvement.
- Oil tonic
Oils: tea tree (1 drop), lemon and rose (2 drops each) + apple cider vinegar (1 teaspoon) + dried chamomile flowers (1 tablespoon) + water (1 glass).
Pour boiling water over chamomile, leave for 30 minutes and strain. Add everything else to the resulting broth and cool. Wipe pigmented areas with tonic 2 times a day. Store in glass in the refrigerator for no longer than 2 weeks.
Quick toner recipes for hyperpigmentation
Such tonics or lotions should be applied to pigmented areas for 20 minutes, then washed off with a napkin or tampon.
- Chamomile or grapefruit essential oil + apricot oil.
- Eucalyptus ether (10 drops) + liquid jojoba wax (1 tablespoon).
- Grape seed extract + lemon juice (1:1).
In addition, esters can be added to water for washing. You can also use them to enhance the effect of your usual cream (1-2 drops per single dose of cosmetic product).
Recipe for vitiligo
Oils: corn and sunflower (1 tablespoon each) and olive (2 tablespoons) + St. John's wort (1 tablespoon).
Mix and place the mixture in a cool, dark place for a month. Then strain the mixture through several layers of gauze and apply to damaged areas. Course: several months, regardless of the condition of the skin.
Why do you need to consult a cosmetologist?
There are no universal whitening products.
They must be selected individually for each patient. The cosmetologist takes into account skin type and sensitivity, lifestyle and even climatic conditions. For example, doctors cannot prescribe long-term use of fruit acids or retinol to a patient who regularly flies to hot countries or lives on the coast. In this case, antioxidants and adequate photoprotection are selected.
All active products for working with hyperpigmentation are prescribed strictly in the autumn-winter time, otherwise you can get the opposite effect.
When choosing a product according to the description, you do not always have the necessary information about what is and is not advisable to use. This is why independent use of professional or pharmacy products can lead not to whitening, but to serious problems.
general information
Castor bean is an evergreen plant with poisonous juices, from which healing castor oil is obtained. But during processing, the poisonous juices are neutralized, and the healing properties increase significantly, which makes castor oil a universal cosmetic product. This product is famous for its successful fight against fungi and bacteria, which often affect the human skin and subsequently provoke the development of infection or inflammation. It is believed that castor oil, extracted through cold pressing, retains maximum nutrients.
The success of the oil in the beauty industry is due to the fact that the plant contains ricinoleic acid, which produces an amazing softening effect.
Beneficial features
Nature has endowed castor beans with a rich chemical composition:
- ricinoleic fatty acid (85% of the total composition);
- palmitic acid;
- oleic acid;
- linoleic acid;
- vitamins of groups B, E, C, A.
Castor oil enriches the skin with substances and promotes gentle cleansing.
The product is perfectly absorbed into the skin, but does not clog pores or form oil films. After use, it is noticeable that the treated area becomes soft, toned and healthier in appearance. Other cosmetic properties of the plant:
- discoloration of age spots;
- protection from the negative effects of frost, wind and sunlight;
- maintaining moisture in cells;
- softening, nutrition and anti-inflammatory effect;
- increased collagen production;
- general regeneration of the skin.
Considering the listed characteristics, using plant oil you can:
- remove age spots, warts, nevi, fresh scars and stretch marks;
- nourish hair and eyelashes;
- treat scalp and seborrhea;
- minimize the presence of facial and age wrinkles;
- speed up recovery from colds;
- improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Recommendations for selection
In order not to harm your skin with a low-quality product, you must consider the following:
- Buy the product only at the pharmacy. Purchase rare types of castor oil from the manufacturer in highly specialized places.
- Pay attention to the method of obtaining the oil. For cosmetic purposes, you need to choose cold-pressed castor oil (extra virgin).
- The highest quality is castor oil, made in India from perennial castor beans.
- Castor oil for the face has a lot of variant names: food additive E1503, ricinus communis, castor oil, sulfated castor oil, etc.
- Buy only unrefined oil.
By choosing castor oil according to these criteria, you have every chance of finding a quality product that will solve the problem of darkening on your face.
What is castor oil?
This useful substance is obtained by processing the fruits of the castor bean plant: an unpretentious large-leaved plant. The fruits of this plant are small boxes containing seeds, 80% oil. Cold pressing and subsequent heat treatment destroy harmful toxins, making the resulting oil suitable for applying to the skin or adding to cosmetics.
This substance is a pale yellow oily liquid that has a weak, barely perceptible odor. Castor oil contains many vitamins and valuable fatty acids, so it does not harden or create a film when applied to the skin or hair.
