Not all skin lightening procedures are created equal. Certain options are better for certain scenarios and certain skin types.

Permanent skin lightening is possible through treatments such as lasers, bleaching creams or a combination of options.

Cutting-edge lightening injections are bursting on the scene, promising permanent results relatively easily, but there are some concerns.

Achieving a more even complexion is attainable for many.

Achieving the perfect skin tone is one of the most elusive cosmetic feats out there. For some of us, it’s a silky-smooth, sun-kissed glow we’re after. For others, it’s a matter of dialing down and evening out a spotty complexion. From home remedies to spray tans to laser treatments, there are hundreds of unique ways to improve your skin’s complexion, but not all are ideal for every person. There are a variety of skin lightening treatment options on the market to help lighten damaged skin, whether via at-home topical treatments or in-office laser procedures. Here are some of the most popular skin lightening treatments out there, with information about how they can correct your specific skin concerns.

Laser Skin Lightening

Lasers are truly one of modern cosmetic medicine’s most amazing technologies. In the case of skin lightening, they offer one of the more permanent and effective solutions available. Many people opt for laser skin lightening over creams and skin bleaching because it’s relatively fast-acting. In just a few sessions, you can correct some of the most frustrating yet common skin care concerns, like wrinkles and dark spots.

Laser skin lightening was first introduced to the market in the 1980s, when doctors began to use CO2 lasers to deliver short-pulsed energy to remove skin cells and lighten skin tones in the process. These lasers, alongside other types of lasers, are still used today. Your doctor or laser specialist will typically administer or topically apply local anesthesia and/or provide sedative medications to control pain. High-energy light is then administered to the skin, which is absorbed by its natural water, melanin and hemoglobin, triggering new skin generation and leaving behind a lighter skin tone.

Dermatologists now often recommend intense pulse light (IPL) lasers, pulsed-dyed lasers, Nd:YAG lasers and CO2 lasers to lighten skin. These types of lasers affect the skin’s ability to stimulate melanin production, which can help lighten skin while treating frustrating dark spots, age spots, sun spots, melasma and pigmentation. Consulting with a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon can help you determine which type of laser is most appropriate for your natural skin tone and concerns.

There are two distinctive types of laser treatment options available for lightening skin color: ablative and non-ablative lasers. These two types of lasers differ in various ways, especially in terms of side effects and recovery time. Ablative lasers (including CO2 and Erbium lasers) are considered the more intense option, but they also tend to be significantly more effective. Risks associated with this type of laser include redness, swelling, acne, infection and scarring.

Non-ablative lasers (including Fraxel Restore, CoolTouch and N-lite) are preferred in many scenarios because they’re less invasive. Rather than actually destroying skin tissues, non-ablative lasers simply heat them up, which can cause fewer side effects. Still, those who undergo non-ablative laser lightening treatments are at risk of infection, mild redness, swelling, bruising, blistering and scarring. Both versions are considered safe and are approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

When you get a piercing, you’re deliberately creating an opening in your skin on part of your body. So, just as you’d care for an accidental wound to prevent an infection from developing, you must take care of a piercing too.

One way to help your new piercing stay healthy is to soak it in a sea salt or saline mixture. Doing this can keep your wound clean and promote healing.

Some piercing experts tell their customers to consider a sea salt soak to help your piercing heal. But you have to know how to do it correctly, or you might risk infection.

Read on to learn more about how to do a sea salt soak for your new piercing, as well as what to avoid, and what the benefits might be.

Preparing for your sea salt soak

When you hear or read the word “soak,” you might wonder how you’re supposed to immerse certain body parts to soak in the sea salt solution.

You can probably picture yourself submerged in a bathtub, so you can soak your navel or a genital piercing, but what about a facial piercing? It might seem a little unlikely (or impossible) to try to soak your nose or your eyebrow.

But you don’t have to stick your head in a basin of salty water. Think: warm compress.

You can soak a sterile bandage or dressing in sea salt solution and drape your piercing, thereby soaking it in the salty water. You can even do this for piercings in other areas — in case you’re not game for a soak in the tub.

Making a sea salt solution

But you might also want to make your own. Before you get started, buy some sea salt, a minimally processed salt that’s obtained from the evaporation of seawater and contains some trace minerals like potassium, magnesium, and zinc.

Many people keep it on hand for a relaxing sea salt bath. According to a 2012 research review, sea salt baths have been known to help relieve stress and even help ease the pain associated with rheumatic conditions.

How to do a sea salt soak

Here’s how to prepare a sea salt solution for cleaning or soaking your piercing:

• Pour 1 cup of warm water into a cup or bowl. Use distilled or bottled water.
• Add 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon of the sea salt, and allow it to dissolve. That might not seem like much salt, but a stronger solution is more likely to irritate your piercing, according to the Association of Professional Piercers.
• Dip squares of clean gauze or dressing into the sea salt solution and allow them to saturate.
• Apply them to your piercing.

Afterwards, you might want to rinse the area briefly to remove any lingering residue.

What not to do

Just as a cut or wound might be vulnerable, piercings are also vulnerable to infection while they heal. There are mistakes you can make that might not sound that harmful, but they actually might lead to an infection.

Here’s what you want to avoid doing:

• Forgetting to wash your hands beforehand. Anytime you touch a new piercing, clean it, or soak it, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water beforehand.
• Soaking for too long. The word “soak” might also imply a long period of time, but don’t fall into that trap. A 5-minute soak is more appropriate.
• Swimming in the ocean. Yes, the ocean is salt water, but it’s not sterile, and it could introduce a myriad of various germs to your piercing. In fact, the Wound Care Society warns that salt water contains numerous other particles that could worsen a wound or open your skin. If you’re planning to swim in the ocean (or any body of water, including a hot tub or swimming pool), cover your piercing with a waterproof bandage until it completely heals.
• Ignoring any warning signs. If you notice some redness, discoloration, swelling, or a pus-like discharge, these could be the symptoms of a skin infection developing. You should talk with a doctor as soon as you notice any of these concerns.

Are there any benefits to a sea salt soak?

The Wound Care Society suggests that using a saline solution can be a good way to clean a new wound and promote healing.

You actually might not even need the saline, though. One 2016 study found that wounds irrigated with tap water had similar rates of infections to those cleaned with sterile saline.

One method of cleaning your piercing you should avoid, however, is hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can damage your healthy cells around a wound and inhibit healing.

Takeaway

After spending time and money to get a new piercing, you’re probably pretty invested in keeping it. Start out right by taking good care of it.

Using a saline solution or sea salt solution to keep it clean can be one way to keep your piercing site free from infection as it heals.

Before starting the process, make sure you understand how to do it right, as improper cleaning can lead to infection.