Pills for skin whitening – can something as simple and convenient as a pill or tablet really give you the skin lightening result that you desire? It does sound almost too good to be true but might they actually work? In this article, I will investigate whether they really work. I will tell you what these pills are, how they work and what kind of result you can expect to obtain. Let’s take a closer look right now.
What Are Skin Whitening Pills And How Do They Work?
Obviously they are intended to lighten the appearance of your skin. People want to achieve this for a variety of reasons and there are many treatment methods available, including pills.
There is no single type of whitening pill available on the market. There are several and each works in a different way. Let’s look at these now.
Glutathione Pills
These pills are supposed to work by blocking tyrosinase which is an important enzyme that is necessary for the production of melanin in our skin i.e. without this enzyme, you cannot tan. When Beyonce appeared in Vanity Fair magazine with radically lighter skin, it was rumoured that she used glutathione pills in order to achieve her new look though some claim that the photograph was digitally altered. So, do they work?
You are supposed to take these pills for at least two to three months to give your body a chance to reduce its natural melanin production. However, many people who take these pills report that they don’t work. Some doctors theorise that supplementing with pills will make any significant change to glutathione levels in your body and that most of it is still produced in your cells. This may be because none of it is absorbed as it passes through your digestive system and is finally excreted. However, some people receive glutathione injections instead which are said to give a good result.
NAC Supplements
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) supplements are the other main type of pills for skin whitening available on the market. NAC is a mucolytic agent that has long had a wide variety of medical uses but more recently has been found to be useful in altering cosmetic appearance.
NAC is a precursor to glutathione so when it is ingested it acts to augment the existing glutathione reserves in the body and raise their overall levels. Therefore, melanin production is reduced and as new layers of skin are made they gradually take on a lighter appearance.
Unlike glutathione pills, clinical trials have apparently shown that NAC really does boost the levels of intracellular glutathione. In practice, many people also report excellent results with these supplements.
Other Types Of Pill
Vitamin C is sometimes sold (often unscrupulously) as a skin whitener. It is often added to glutathione pills for this same reason. It does not whiten the skin but may make it smoother and softer in appearance, thus giving the illusion of being a mild whitener when it is nothing of the sort.
There are many other similar such scams out there and you should be vigilant. Always check the label and interrogate whoever is trying to sell you the pills. Demand to see testimonials and judge for yourself whether they are genuine or not. While some pills out there do appear to work, there are many more masquerading as the real deal when in fact they are nothing of the sort.