Two of the most exciting aspects of skin care research are discovering new ingredients that benefit skin health and learning more about existing ingredients and their evolving role in maintaining youthful skin.
Glutathione is an ingredient that falls in the latter category. While it might not exactly be a household name yet, it holds a lot of promise when it comes to improving skin discolorations and tone.
Whether you’ve heard of glutathione before or it’s news to you, there’s a lot to learn. Let’s explore exactly what this ingredient is, its skin benefits and just how long to wait before seeing results.
Glutathione is an antioxidant that occurs naturally in skin, where its function is to help defend against visible signs of environmental damage. It’s believed that the gradual decline of glutathione in skin is one of the factors that contributes to external signs of aging.
In addition to its status as an antioxidant, glutathione is also a peptide composed of three amino acids: cystine, glutamic acid and glycine.
Glutathione in skin care is a welcome addition for those with discolorations precisely because of those three amino acids mentioned above. They work together to help restore skin’s surface and brighten a dull complexion. Just how do they do that? Research shows that glutathione on skin can interrupt an enzyme within skin’s surface layers that triggers hyperpigmentation.
In short, the answer is a resounding yes! Since it is a natural component of skin, it’s well-tolerated when applied topically. Studies have also shown that oral supplementation is successful at assisting in tackling an uneven skin tone; as an oral supplement, glutathione has received the designation “generally recognized as safe” from the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The only concern with glutathione comes when it is inserted intravenously, where some people have reported anaphylactic responses, though those are considered extremely rare.
There are several benefits to glutathione because of its potent antioxidant activity: the ability to fight oxidative damage over time, to help restore skin’s barrier and as mentioned, to help improve the look of discolorations and promote an even skin tone. Research has found that when applied directly to dark spots, glutathione on skin improved the look of sun-exposed areas.
One study found that a 2% concentration of a glutathione cream for skin improved the melanin index (a measure of melanin in skin) on dark spots when used twice a day for 10 weeks. As with most ingredients that help with fading discolorations, patience is key! It took years to build up the sun damage that caused those discolorations, so it takes time to lessen their appearance.
Of course, no skin brightening regime is complete without daily application (and reapplication!) of a sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher to maintain the results you’re working to achieve.
Glutathione applied topically can help restore skin’s natural, youthful glow. Since, as mentioned above, a decline in our body’s natural amount of glutathione can lead to signs of aging – which include a dull complexion – adding it to your skin care routine can help improve the appearance of skin for a more even, revitalized look.
Because of its role in melanin formation in the skin and its ability to interrupt an enzyme that causes melanin overproduction as mentioned earlier, glutathione "can influence the pheomelanin pathway providing a more even skin tone and to reduce the formation of free radicals that develop after intense exposure to UV light and environmental pollution", according to board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Corey L. Hartman MD.
Numerous studies have shown glutathione is safe for everyday topical use, with no side effects. Being a natural component of skin, it is well-tolerated by all skin types, including those with acne-prone and sensitive skin.
Yes, you can! In fact, the best way to get the results you want is to use a glutathione skin treatment twice a day. While you won’t get overnight improvement, sticking with it will reveal the benefits of glutathione in time – another exciting skin care ingredient to help banish dullness, fade discolorations and restore skin’s youthful glow!
You might be wondering how to add glutathione to your skin care routine – especially if you’re already using dark spot fading products and ingredients. The good news is that adding glutathione products is easy. There is no evidence that this rising skin care star counteracts or impedes any of the activity of other brightening ingredients (such as vitamin C, licorice, arbutin or azelaic acid). Glutathione has also been shown to help stabilize and enhance the performance of other antioxidants such as vitamin C, even when used in low concentrations. "Topical skin care products containing glutathione are the best way to apply the ingredient directly to the target area", notes Dr. Hartman.
Just find a glutathione serum or cream appropriate for your skin type and incorporate it as another step in your already-established routine – it's that simple!
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