Depigmenting Efficacy of Commercially Available Skin-lightening Creams: Comparative Analysis and in-vivo Evaluation

To prevail over the irrational use of commercial skin lightening creams, this study assessed the de-pigmenting efficacy of various branded skin-lightening creams. Four well known branded creams were selected for this purpose and coded as P-I, P-II, P-III and P-IV, respectively. Earlier than in-vivo evaluation of the creams, physicochemical characterization and in-vitro stability studies of the creams were carried out to guarantee the quality of the creams. In-vivo evaluation of the creams was performed in human volunteers. The effects of creams on erythema, skin melanin, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and moisture sebum were recorded. Towards the end of the study, “Panel test” was conducted with volunteers to review their sensory evaluation about the creams. The results of physicochemical characterization and stability analysis recommended that creams were appropriate for skin application at room temperature. P-I and P-IV creams demonstrated highest de-pigmenting efficacy and controlled the Erythema and TEWL. On the other hand, the skin sebum contents were ideally controlled by P-IV cream while skin moisture contents were increased up to 21.0 % by P-1 cream. These results concluded that cream P-I was most suitable for skin-lightening with added advantages of increasing skin hydration and controlling skin sebum contents.