Hydrogen Peroxide to Bleach Skin
Have you ever used hydrogen peroxide on a cut or scrape? If so, you probably noticed that the skin around it got a bit whiter. This leads many people to question whether or not this is a safe way to bleach the skin.
The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. First let’s talk about what hydrogen peroxide really is.
What is Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is a compound composed of half hydrogen, half oxygen. In other words, the molecular makeup is similar to water (H2O), since hydrogen peroxide is H2O2.
That said, there are huge differences between water and hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide is a strong oxidizer, and is often used as a whitening agent. For example, you can put small amounts of hydrogen peroxide in your hair to help it become lighter- especially in the sun.
But how does this affect the skin?
Hydrogen Peroxide’s Bleaching Effect on the Skin
As noted earlier, skin that comes into contact with hydrogen peroxide becomes whiter. Since many people want to whiten their skin, they think this may be a reasonable option.
However, the bleaching effect of this compound on this skin is not permanent. In fact, it usually doesn’t even last an entire day. Instead of inhibiting melanin production (which in turn lightens the skin), hydrogen peroxide causes what is called a capillary embolism. In other words, it causes less blood to flow into the capillaries under the skin for a short period of time. Since you don’t have as much blood flowing under the skin, the skin will appear whiter in color.
As your body carries out regular functions throughout the day, the whitening effect rapidly goes away.
Can I Use Hydrogen Peroxide Regularly to Safely Bleach My Skin?
We don’t recommend it. Although it is safe in small doses, hydrogen peroxide is not a natural compound for your skin to interact with. And since the effect is temporary, you will be spending a lot of time putting the liquid on your skin with minimal benefit.
In addition- your body is supposed to constantly be transporting blood to every inch of the body. By using hydrogen peroxide, you are temporarily slowing the amount of blood going to that area. Doing this on a regular basis is not a good thing!
Are there Ways to Use Hydrogen Peroxide with Other, Safer Methods?
Some people include hydrogen peroxide in the face masks they use for skin whitening. For example, you can mix together milk, hydrogen peroxide, papaya and honey for a very effective skin whitening face mask. This can help you eliminate dark patches on skin, make your skin one shade lighter, and get results within just a week or two.
However, anything that uses hydrogen peroxide is only including the compound to get faster results. Whether or not those results are safe- considering that you now have less blood flowing to the area- is a different matter.
So What Should I Use Instead of Hydrogen Peroxide?
We always recommend using more natural methods. For example, many foods such as papaya, honey, oatmeal, potato, lemon juice, and milk are great skin whitening agents.
You can bleach your skin by both eating these foods and making face masks with them. Results will not come extremely quickly, but you should see results within about 6 weeks.
Another option is skin bleaching pills. Some pills are very effective, although they often contain chemical bleaching agents. They may not necessarily be unsafe for your body, because they were (likely) approved by the FDA, but you should still know the ingredients.
Many women like using skin whitening soaps. These are good because you can clean your skin and whiten it at the same time. You’ll find that these soaps often have the natural ingredients listed above such as papaya. But excess usage of soap can make your skin dry and more susceptible to problems like acne, rosacea and rashes.
Finally- you can try using lotions or creams. Skin whitening creams are usually the best way to go. You can use them anywhere, they aren’t messy, and they get the fastest results.
Best Skin Whitening Product that’s Highly Effective
After years of trial and error, we’ve come to the conclusion that Epibright is currently the best skin whitening product out there. Here are a few quick reasons why:
- Very high ratings from customers
- Natural ingredients
For more information about Epibright, please look at our review on the homepage.
Hydrogen peroxide does make your skin look whiter. However, the fact that it lightens the skin by reducing blood flow is a pretty important thing to know!
That’s why we generally don’t recommend it. Instead, try using a good cream like Epibright. Natural home remedies can work, but generally they just aren’t your best choice due to non significant results.