Watch out for the sun! III

Has the sun already left its brown footprints on your visage? Don't give in to gloom yet. There are solutions

I use sunscreen and whitening products religiously. Why are my dark spots increasing instead of decreasing?
UV rays are still able to get into your eyes, causing damage to the cells in your eyes. The brain reacts by instructing the creation of more dark pigmentation. Hence, your skin still gets dark spots even if you took great pains to protect it. Your eyes need to be protected from UV rays too. Choose spectacles or contact lenses with UV ray protection.

Apart from using sunscreens and whitening products, can I improve my skin through my diet?
Fruits are rich in vitamins and helps the skin to get rid of toxics. Kiwi fruits are rich in vitamin C. It helps to suppress the formation of dark pigmentation and reduces dullness in skin. Soyabean milk has good whitening properties. According to a research done in Japan, drinking soya bean milk daily contributes to smooth skin and helps reduce scarring.

After a day at the beach, I carry out an intensive whitening regime after my skin no longer hurts from the sun. But even though I’m using products with quick whitening effect, why does my skin still end up tanned?
When skin is exposed to UV rays, it starts turning red after 4 to 5 hours. After about 24 hours, the intensity of the redness reaches its peak. After 3 to 4 days, black pigmentation is produced and skin gradually turns brown. It is therefore best to carry out your intense whitening programme within 3 days (72 days) before the skin turns dark. It seems that quite a fair number of people only start their intense whitening treatments when their skin is no longer peeling, or when they notice their skins have become darker, but it would be too late by then. Dark spots and freckles are stubborn, so it’s best to start your whitening treatments before dark pigmentation is released. Sunburnt skin shouldn't hurt much after 1 or 2 days, but go easy on the products and use products that are mild on the skin if you have sensitive skin.

Isn’t melanin (dark pigmentation) supposed to protect our skin? By reducing dark pigmentation with whitening products, are we harming our skin instead?
Dark pigmentation is produced to absorb the cancerous UV rays, hence protecting our skin from harm. Whitening products suppress the activity of melanin enzymes, but will not destroy the cells that create melanin. Upon UV ray exposure, melanin enzymes will still be activated and send the relevant signals that results in the creation of dark pigmentation. Hence, sunscreen and whitening products should both be used in your daily skincare regime.
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