Hey baby, stop believing those skin whitening rumors!

Editor: Wang Qi

In the hot summer, in addition to "love yourself", the hot topic is of course the "whitening" issue that must be mentioned every year. Many beautiful ladies regard whitening as a lifelong pursuit. There are many strange whitening methods. Have you stepped on many pitfalls on the road to whitening? Come and identify it quickly, ladies who want to be white!

First, let's talk about the principle of vitamin C whitening. Vitamin C, referred to as VC, is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as ascorbic acid. The main effect of VC is anti-oxidation and cell protection. VC can inhibit the conversion of melanin in the body and the formation of skin pigmentation spots, so VC does have the effect of whitening and brightening the skin.

However, this product can not only make your skin white, but also play a big role in the human body's metabolism, help growth, and improve resistance. But everything has its limits, and excessive intake of VC is not good. Excessive intake of VC will cause the body to produce a large amount of oxalic acid, which can easily lead to urinary tract and kidney stones. In severe cases, it can also cause frequent urination, urgency, and even hematuria. More importantly, large intake of VC can also cause hemolytic reactions and affect fertility. Once the drug is stopped, early symptoms of scurvy will appear [1]. So, although VC is good, don't drink it too much!

Don't be impatient. You can't eat hot tofu if you are impatient.

There aren't many reliable skin care products that work quickly. You know, the skin's metabolism cycle is 28 days. Those products that claim to be "immediately effective" probably have some whitening agents added. After using them, your skin feels whiter, but it's only temporary. When you wake up, you're back to your original look. Temporary whitening is still good. Some unscrupulous merchants will add fluorescent whitening agents or hormone substances to their products. These things will produce blue fluorescence, making you think the products are very white. Be careful, don't let these scams ruin your skin!

What is "C in the morning and A at night"? It is actually a skin care concept. C in the morning means using skin care products containing VC or VC derivatives during the day.

VC as a natural antioxidant can be used to treat and prevent skin problems

Melanin, which everyone talks about with fear, is a biological pigment synthesized by melanocytes. This pigment can accumulate in any tissue of the body and affect the color of the skin. For example, freckles, chloasma, age spots, and sun spots that everyone "fears" are all related to the formation and oxidation reaction of melanin. VC, as the most common oxidant, resists ultraviolet rays and whitens the skin. Night A means using products containing VA or VA derivatives at night to repair the skin, control oil and whiten the skin. Only when day and night perform their respective duties can the effect be doubled.

Why do we use VC in the morning? Because VC is mainly anti-oxidant. During the day, the ultraviolet rays are strong and the skin is flooded with free radicals, so it needs more anti-oxidation. Why do we use VA at night? Because VA is an anti-aging ingredient certified by the US FDA, but it is afraid of light. It will be inactivated by ultraviolet rays and make the skin more sensitive. Repairing at night can promote collagen production.

However, using C in the morning and A at night is not a panacea. Some people are not suitable for it. For example, people with acne, sensitive skin, and seborrheic skin in an unstable period should forget about it. Also, using C in the morning and A at night is not something you can use every day! VA products will accumulate and transform under the skin, which may irritate the skin and cause sensitivity. VC products are irritating in themselves, and VA is more irritating. Beginners should be careful! You need to adapt slowly and step by step.

After using C in the morning and A in the evening, your skin may glow or turn red, which are signs of irritation! Don’t mistakenly think that dark, red and bright skin is a good thing. In fact, your skin is reminding you that it’s time to repair and fight inflammation.

In the hot summer, the ultraviolet rays are strong. Long-term exposure to the sun can cause heat stroke. Under strong ultraviolet rays, the skin can also be allergic to ultraviolet rays, causing discomfort symptoms such as skin redness, burning, and pain. Of course, there is also the darkening after "sunbathing" that girls often discuss. Some people go out with a full set of sunscreen equipment, wrapping themselves tightly for fear of being exposed to the sun. The result? The skin becomes sensitive and fragile, and it may get sunburned if you are not careful!

A certain degree of sun protection is still necessary, but is excessive sun protection desirable?

Excessive sun protection means using sunscreen too enthusiastically or relying too much on sun protection measures under the sun. Sun protection is of course important and can protect our skin from UV damage, but excessive sun protection may cause our bodies to lack vitamin D!

Ultraviolet rays are one of the main ways we get vitamin D from sunlight. Excessive sun protection is like putting on a protective suit for the skin, blocking the ultraviolet rays in the sun. In this way, the skin cannot absorb these ultraviolet rays, which in turn affects the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a key role in our bone health, immune system function and cardiovascular health! Long-term vitamin D deficiency may lead to various health problems such as osteoporosis and decreased immunity.

Excessive sun protection may also affect the production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a protective agent for the skin that can help us resist the damage of ultraviolet rays. However, the chemical ingredients in some sunscreens will inhibit the production of melanin, which will make the skin more sensitive and prone to sunburn.

If you over-rely on sunscreen products for a long time, your skin's resistance to ultraviolet rays may decrease, and the risk of sunburn and skin cancer will increase.

Some businesses will exaggerate the value of products with high SPF values, but in fact, we generally do not need such high SPF values. Many people mistakenly believe that the higher the SPF value, the better the sun protection effect. In fact, high-factor sunscreen contains more chemical ingredients, which can easily irritate the skin and may increase the risk of skin cancer.

Some "white friends" share their whitening experience, saying that washing your face with white vinegar can whiten and remove freckles. I once believed the gossip of these "little fairies" and used white vinegar to wash my face. I couldn't tell whether it was white or not. I only remembered the sour feeling that stung my eyes. In fact, washing your face with white vinegar may make you feel "white", because the acetic acid in white vinegar softens the stratum corneum of the skin and peels off the keratin. The old skin removes the new skin, which makes it look much whiter and tenderer visually, giving people the illusion that white vinegar can whiten. At the same time, this whiteness may come with some costs, because long-term and repeated stimulation of the skin leads to the destruction of the skin barrier, thinning of the stratum corneum, red blood streaks, peeling, sensitivity, etc., and the skin is "tormented" into sensitive skin. Therefore, it is recommended to use this method of washing your face with white vinegar frequently, and short-term use will not have a long-term effect.

It is difficult to tell the truth from the false, so do not believe in rumors. So you should be rational about everything and do not blindly follow the trend. Choose the sunscreen products and methods that suit you. Otherwise, your skin will not only not become white and tender as you wish, but may even get worse!

(The above pictures are from the Internet)

Planning and production

Editor:

Editor: Yin Xiaolin

Head Nurse of Ophthalmology Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University

Producer｜Gao Liandi

Associate Professor, Chief Nurse, Nursing Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University

Produced by: Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army