From celebrities to music, and even on skincare, the rise of East Asian culture has highlighted many things, especially on their skincare products that give their artists that glass skin look. One of these products that have been gaining attention is the kojic acid, which is naturally produced by some fungi and a by-product of rice fermentation, Japanese sake, soy sauce, and rice wine.
Although people go out less this time due to the lockdown, some still experience dark spots on their skin that are quite noticeable and bothersome. Skin color disorders like those can be caused by several factors, such as too much exposure to sunlight, aging and hormonal imbalance, or some medications.
How Does Kojic Acid Works?
According to Healthline, kojic acid works by inhibiting and preventing the formation of tyrosine, an amino acid that is necessary for melanin production. Melanin is the pigment that affects the skin color, as well as the hair and color of the eyes.
Since its primary function is to inhibit melanin production, it gives a lightening effect on the skin. Therefore, experts recommend using kojic in solving skin discoloration, scarring, and hyperpigmentation.
It has been approved to be used in cosmetic products in concentrations of less than or equal to 1% and is mostly used as a skin brightening agent. Kojic acid could come in many forms of cosmetic products, like powders, serums, creams, cleansers, and soaps. These products are mostly used on the face and hands.
Greatist also said that it is also frequently used to keep the food in grocery stores look fresh and tasty to the buyers. After all, produce with dark spots are less likely to be sold compared to produce with lesser spots.
Benefits of Using Kojic Acid on the Skin
As mentioned, kojic acid is used as a skin discoloration eraser, particularly those dark spots. "It is used to brighten dark marks and/or hyperpigmentation from acne scars'" dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D. explains, according to IPSY. "It is most effective to treat when the scar is fresh."
Moreover, kojic acid has antibacterial properties that may help eliminate acne, and anti-aging and antioxidant protection to help fight radical damage.
Dermatologists recommend kojic acid because of its tolerability, which means that even those people who experience dryness and irritation from hydroquinone may have an easier experience using products that contain kojic acid.
Additionally, it has anti-fungal properties to increase its effectiveness and may be useful to treat fungal infections of the skin, such as candida, ringworm, athlete's foot, and yeast infections.
Since it contains both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, studies show that it could get rid of both bacterial and fungal infections in the body when regularly used.
Before and After Using Kojic Acid
In a Tiktok video posted by user @prezzy09, she narrated how dry her skin was, causing her to have pimples on her face before using kojic acid.
Without disclosing the brand she is using, she said that she has only been using kojic acid for a month but has already seen great improvements to her skin. Showing her before and after photos, the skincare product really did wonders on her skin.
She captioned her video as "Kojic acid is a lifesaver" and encouraged others to also use it. Here's her video:
@prezzy09 Yh i really auggest u guys buy the soap ##fypシ ##duet ##foryoupage ##xyzbca ##viral ##fyp ##trending ##kojicacid ##kojicacidsoap ##skincare ##skincareroutine ♬ original sound - pre
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