Is the remarkable key to lighter, even-toned skin stored in your spice cupboard? One of the most talked about skincare essentials at the moment is turmeric, a gold-brown spice that not just tastes delectable, it even delivers quite a few great skin perks — including skin lightening.
What Is Turmeric (Curcumin)?
Turmeric (also named Curcuma Longa) is a root plant similar to ginger, and is regularly used as a spice around the world — specifically in South Asia. It is identifiable by its vibrant yellow color. Turmeric has been made use of for several centuries in Ayurvedic healthcare and as a preventative overall health supplement. Ayurveda is the natural system of medicine that started in India.
The yellow color of turmeric comes from the active component curcumin. Curcumin is a formidable anti-inflammatory (helps prevent inflammation), antimicrobial (hinders the spreading of microorganisms), antineoplastic (blocks the establishment of growths that may possibly grow into cancer) and antioxidant (elements that fight destructive free radicals). So yeah, curcumin is obviously a great thing!
Turmeric (Curcumin) for the Treatment of Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a regularly occurring issue that renders select spots of the skin darker than normal. “Hyper” implies increased, and “pigment” implies color. Hyperpigmentation will develop as black, reddish, or brown patches or spots. The patches are often times termed liver spots or age spots.
Skin draws its color from a substance named melanin — a pigment generated by skin cells referred to as melanocytes. When such skin cells are impaired or unhealthy, they will produce way too much melanin. This melanin has the potential to clump, leading to that region to look darker. Which means that a likely contributing factor of hyperpigmentation is an extra formation of melanin.
Quite a few studies have indicated that curcumin has the ability to combat hyperpigmentation. Mainly it’s the curcumin in turmeric that is the deciding factor in these studies to suppress the action of tyrosinase, an enzyme essential for melanin formation. While this aspect hasn’t yet been tried in clinical studies, it tilts in the direction of the idea that consistent topical applications of turmeric will probably over time lighten one’s skin. Over time, as dark-colored skin cells organically exfoliate, they would be replaced by cells that are of a person’s natural skin color.
Managing Melasma With Turmeric
A number of circumstances could possibly change the generation of melanin, leading to hyperpigmentation. Melasma is a very prevalent cause of hyperpigmentation. Melasma is a skin condition that produces patches and areas, frequently on the face, that are darker than ones normal skin shade. While this situation is completely harmless, it naturally can make most folks feel embarrassed.
Melasma is a skin malady distinguished by spots, or blue-gray or brown patches, most frequently on the forehead, nose, cheeks, and upper lip. Since ever-changing hormones while pregnant can cause melasma, it is often referred to as the “mask of pregnancy.”
Melasma is a relatively prevalent skin problem, chiefly in pregnant women. Somewhere around 20% to 50% of women who are pregnant get it. Though melasma can additionally result from too much sun exposure, the much more prevalent cause is hormonal variations from pregnancy or birth control, meaning women are significantly more prone than men to get this disorder. Melasma normally arises between 20 and 45 years of age.
The first thing you need to do to treat your melasma is to make sure that it doesn’t get any worse. Do this by avoiding tanning beds, irritating soaps, and LED displays. Should you be subjected to the sun, it is advisable to choose sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 applied every several hours.
To actively deal with melasma (or hyperpigmentation of any cause), test out a topical skin lightening product such as Meladerm from Civant Skincare or a turmeric mask.
Turmeric consists of curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that lightens skin. Using a 1:2 ratio, blend water or milk with turmeric powder, and then spread the mix on the affected areas. Let the application totally dry and then rinse it with lukewarm water. Repeat on a daily basis until the hyperpigmentation has lightened. This procedure may likely take up to a few months.
Apply Curcumin (Turmeric) Topically to Lighten Skin
The turmeric benefits for skin lightening are many. Applying curcumin to your face will help calm skin rashes, treat acne, and lighten dark spots. Though not an immediate solution, topically administered curcumin will help with hyperpigmentation if used consistently over time.
Turmeric Masks Lighten the Skin
You can find turmeric-laced skincare treatments to purchase, but you can alternatively effortlessly and inexpensively make a treatment. A turmeric mask is the most effective technique to use turmeric topically.
All turmeric masks include curcumin powder as their main ingredient. Purchasing a large container of turmeric powder is far more practical and significantly less costly (per quantity bought) than buying turmeric in capsule or tablet form. It is not difficult to take a scoop of the powder from the resealable bag and combine it with a liquid to create a paste to apply on the affected places of your body.
Keep in mind that because it’s the curcumin that is the active element of the turmeric root, health supplements are commonly labeled as “Curcumin” as an alternative to “Turmeric.” A supplement could even be sold using both these names, as in “Turmeric Curcumin.” That’s the text used by Microingredients on their powder supplement.
To make a turmeric mask all you have to do is mix one teaspoon of curcumin powder with one teaspoon of squeezed lemon juice. Optionally you could additionally mix in 1 teaspoon of agave syrup or honey. Both agave syrup and honey will help keep skin moisturized, soft, and supple. Lemon juice carries concentrated skin lightening properties and it lightens skin color.
The resulting paste-like concoction should then be patted on your face and left to sit for up to 30 minutes. Afterwards rinse with water. Apply this type of mask every day for faster results.
Take Turmeric (Curcumin) Orally for Skin Lightening
As you’ve read above, curcumin powder can be used externally for skin lightening by applying the powder right on your skin in the form of a mask. Alternately, turmeric can be taken internally for the same objective. Taken orally, curcumin can limit excess melanin production. As a consequence turmeric effects for skin lightening may be experienced by making use of the powdered supplement both outwardly and inwardly.
Turmeric Tea for Skin Lightening
Turmeric teas are a frequent choice for ingesting turmeric considering that the flavor is delicate and pleasant, and the health perks are very much the same to the eating of the whole turmeric plant in prepared solid food. The same curcumin powder one would purchase to use to make a turmeric mask can be used as the basis of a turmeric tea.
Research reveals that the basic curcumin dosage each day is in the order of 500 mg to 3000 mg, but studies using up to 6 grams each day found no serious side effects. Some powdered curcumin health supplements include a small scoop that measures 1000 mg (1 gram), which makes it fast and easy to brew a cup of turmeric tea. To make a tea that incorporates a 1000 mg (1 gram) serving of curcumin, simply add one scoop of curcumin powder to boiling water and let it steep for approximately 15 minutes and then strain before consuming. To vary the flavor, the curcumin can be paired with other spices such as lemongrass or cinnamon.
Although turmeric tea is a very common way to ingest turmeric, you can mix the turmeric powder in any beverage you prefer. If your preference is a shake or smoothie, then simply mix a scoop or two in your preferred beverage.
The time you consume turmeric is up to you — the curcumin (turmeric) is not going to work any better or worse depending on the time of day you take it. Curcumin isn’t a stimulant, so should you wish to have your drink prior to bed instead of in the morning to start your day, that should certainly be fine.