Skin-Lightening is the process by which people reduce the melanin pigment in the skin to give a whiter complexion. Those with dark complexion have more melanin and the quantity of melanin determines the color of a person’s skin. Melanin is manufactured by cells called melanocytes. The melanin quantity of a person’s skin depends upon the genetic buildup. The production of melanin is affected by exposure to the sun, the degree of damaged skin, and exposure to chemicals.

Often people take recourse to skin whitening methods to deal with problems such as freckles, age spots, scars, moles, acne, birthmarks and also by people who wish to have fair skin, especially those with a darker tone of the skin. People use whitening or lightening products such as bleaching creams, fading creams, chemical peels, and laser treatment.

These products work by disturbing the tyrosinase enzyme which is instrumental for the melanin production and thereby reducing its amount in the skin. The melanocyte cells which manufacture melanin are situated at the very bottom of the skin’s epidermal layer. Sometimes the over-production of the melanin pigment could lead to various hyperpigmentation problems.