Usually it’s tanning beds and sun bathing that cause obsession within our society. Everyone wants that sun kissed look, even if they have to burn to a crisp, or up their risk for skin cancer. But then there are those that want the opposite, a more lighter look.
Most skin whitening treatments use a combination of topical lotions or gels containing melanin-inhibiting ingredients. Combined with sunscreen and a prescription retinoid or RetinA derivative, plus some possible chemical peels, a procedure my practice provides, you could be on your way to lighter skin.
However, the Phillippines FDA has issued an advisory on a different form of skin whitening due to its serious health risks. Recently it has become popular to inject glutathione, a liver-generated compound that plays a role in antioxidant defense, metabolism and regulation, into the veins to cause skin whitening. It is believed that glutathione inactivates the enzyme tyroninase. This particular enzyme helps produce melanin, which, when inactive, could cause the pigment to become the lighter pheomelanin.
The risks, however, don’t seem to be worth the end result. Patients receiving twice-weekly glutathione injections into the vein are experiencing:
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis
- Thyroid function derangement
- Kidney dysfunction, potentially leading to kidney failure
- Severe abdominal pains
- Overload in renal circulation
To your health and beauty,
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