Tranexamic Acid Side Effects
The side effects of topical tranexamic acid are far fewer than hydroquinone, therefore it is a seemingly more attractive therapy to most individuals seeking results without the worry of issues occurring later.
Orally, tranexamic acid is meant only for a treatment duration of approximately 3 months in order to avoid the dreaded prolong-use side effects: blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism. Pretty serious side effects for anyone to “swallow”, but if your pigmentary issue is contributing to serious unwanted attention or despair, it may be a worthwhile conversation to have with your dermatologist.
One of the most promising cosmetic treatment options for lightening darker skin is the naturally-occurring antioxidant glutathione. Found in plants, bacteria and fungus, glutathione is another ingredient that’s commonly found in skin-lightening treatment options. It inhibits melanin synthesis by stopping amino acids from mixing with enzymes that produce the melanin that gives your skin cells their darker color.
The treatment is so promising that doctors have begun clinical trials for intravenous glutathione in the United States, but it’s not yet known whether this option is completely safe. The buzz around this new therapy has been touched upon in physician-directed dermatology clinical journals and magazines, so we should expect to hear more about it as time progresses. Although a skin whitening injection sounds super-convenient and quick, achieving pristine, white skin via this antioxidant may not be so simple. Certain risks and side effects have halted the treatment’s ability to fully take off in the United States. Currently, Asian countries, like the Philippines, are one of the few areas using this therapy on a more regular basis. In addition, the results of glutathione taken orally has been seen to offer limited or no change in complexion, therefore the more useful approach seems to be intravenous. Oral glutathione has also been associated with rashes and thyroid problems in several clinical articles.
Skin Lightening Injections: Risks and Side Effects
Like hydroquinone, glutathione is not harmful on its own. As previously mentioned, this is an antioxidant that comes straight from the Earth and is relatively mild. With that being said, glutathione can have negative interactions with other drugs. It can lower the body’s zinc levels, which can make you irritable and cause diarrhea, nausea and loss of appetite. Glutathione may also trigger asthma attacks in people who have asthma, and may cause wheezing.
In some cases, glutathione’s effect on the way the body metabolizes certain medications may actually be a good thing. It has been proven to lower the neurological and renal toxicity of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, so it’s actually used to help reduce the negative side effects of chemotherapy and improve healing.
Loving the Skin You’re In
It should be noted, however, that anyone searching for lightening therapies, and those professionals providing them, must be culturally and psychologically sensitive to the difference between lightening, improving tone, and whitening the skin. Without getting political or being culturally insensitive about it, feeling comfortable in one’s skin is paramount to ultimately being confident, regardless of where it lands on the tone spectrum.
