If you have dark spots or melasma, you know the challenge isn’t finding a skin-lightening product, it’s finding one that won’t irritate your skin or bleach the surrounding skin.
Cysteamine is a comparatively gentle skin-lightening ingredient that’s well-tolerated by just about everyone, including people of color. So, let’s take a closer look at what it is, exactly, and how it should be used.
Benefits and side effects
Cysteamine can be found in each one of us as a naturally occurring antioxidant. As a skincare ingredient, it’s used for fading dark patches, which it does by decreasing the amount of L-cystine in cells. L-cystine is involved in the production of melanin.
It’s considered a safe treatment for facial discoloration for most people, although it hasn’t yet been tested on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. So, steer clear for the time being if you belong to either group. It should also be avoided if you have vitiligo.
Even more, cysteamine can be used on an ongoing basis, unlike hydroquinone and corticosteroids. It’s also different from most skin-lightening agents because it’s not a bleach, so it only removes the excess pigment that’s causing the hyperpigmentation. It won’t lighten surrounding skin.
That said, cysteamine is not completely free of side effects. It can irritate your skin and cause dryness. To reduce the risk of dryness, wait at least an hour after cleansing your face to apply it. Another option is to apply it before cleansing and then wash it off after the specified contact time. Either way, make sure you moisturize too.
Your skin may also tingle or become extra-sensitive after applying cysteamine. There can also be a temporary burning sensation. None of this is necessarily cause for concern. It should resolve within a half-hour. If the sensations are intense or don’t go away, consult your dermatologist.
How to use it
Application depends on the product. Some are only left on for a short while and then washed off. Others remain in place. Follow the product’s directions. And no matter how you’re using it, make sure you’re also actively protecting yourself from the sun by applying – and reapplying every couple of hours – a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Even a slight amount of sun exposure could undermine your efforts and the product’s results.
It’s also a good idea to not mix it with other ingredients at first and to start slowly. This way, you can tell whether your skin tolerates it.
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