Do fairness creams really work? They have no effect on the skin, says this study

Fairness creams: Are skin lightening creams any good for you at all? A new study by the Boston University has concluded that they barely have any effect in improving skin tone and the results are even worse for those using over-the-counter creams.

Do you use fairness creams? Have you ever wondered if skin lightening creams are any good for you? A new study has just busted all the myths around fair skin treatments. Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), studied different types of people who use these creams, why they used and if any of these creams are effective at all. The researchers surveyed 406 adults with cutaneous hyperpigmentation who had been seen in a US-based dermatology clinic from February 2015 through July 2016. The most common conditions leading to use of lightening cream were melasma (brown to gray-brown patches) and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).

Most fairness creams don’t help improve skin tone, says a new study. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Less than half reported subjective improvement in their skin tone and results were even worse for those using OTC creams: only 26.5% were satisfied with their results. Among those that did report improvement, the most effective agent was prescription-strength triple-combination cream.

“This descriptive study highlights important aspects in those who use lightening products. More than half of our responders were not satisfied with their OTC creams, reporting that it did not improve their hyperpigmentation,” said study author Neelam Vashi.

Approximately half of the sample population, all of which had cosmetically bothersome hyperpigmentation, had tried OTC lightening agents, with the vast majority consulting a clinician during the course of their treatment. The full findings are present in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

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