E-DRUG: skin lightening pills
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[moderator comment: it is E-drug policy not to post messages from patients but to
refer them to their doctor and/or pharmacist. However, this letter has all kind
of important backgrounds, so I propose to allow this letter. WB]
I'm black and I want to lighten my skin internally, so I won't have to
worry about missing spots with bleaching creams.
Are there such things as Skin lightening/whitening pills?
that will internally lighten the skin to a lighter shade?
I heard there are such things-but they can only be obtained throu a
dermatologists...is that true?
ps-is there a site, or place that you know of, where i can order these
pills?
please help me out,
and please get back to me asap,
thanks
edward washington
Email: ew_2000@hotmail.com
[dear Edward,
Skin lightning creams as cosmetics are allowed in some countries with
hydroquinone as active ingredient up to a maximum 2%, and with a built-in
sunblock. This sunblock is essential as otherwise the sun will stimulate your
pigment cells to work harder to undo the hydroquinone effect. The endresult will
be irregular patches of pigment. Possibly you are describing exactly this
side-effect.
As far as I know there are no skin lightning pills.
Mercury soaps have been illegally used but are very toxic for the kidney.
Corticosteroid creams are prescription medicines which are also widely misused as
skinlightners. They cause however striae and skin atrophy, and may also produce
systematc side-effects.
Many conterfeit skinlightning creams exist, not only in Africa but also in
Europe. As they are imported as soaps, they are not properly checked by drug
inspectors. However, they have potentially serious side-effects, and therefore I
can only recommend you to consult a dermatologist, doctor or pharmacist if you
have further questions.
In E-drug we don't allow commercial messages, so we cannot advise you where to
buy them.
Whether skinlightners should be used at all is a political question. White people
often spends lots of money to get suntans (+ skin cancer) at far-away beaches as
they perceive that it gives them a higher status. That is unsafe and probably
also a waste of money. Being white I don't want to sound paternalistic but I just
wonder: is black no longer beautiful? Do we really need to lighten our skins and
expose ourselves to sometimes serious risks?
Anyway, talk to your doctor!
kind regards
Wilbert Bannenberg, E-drug moderator (also MD)
WilbertBannenberg@compuserve.com
]
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