What's in this stuff, anyway?
Discover which ingredients to look for when choosing a bleaching cream - and which to avoid.
Skin Lightening Methods
Compare the pros and cons of spa lightening treatments versus take-home bleaching creams.
Anal Bleaching 101
Before embarking on your butt beautification, learn more about the anal bleaching process.
"Most places offer the initial application at the spa for about $100-150, then sell you a set of the bleaching lotion or gel to use at home. The whole in-spa process takes about 20 minutes, one Sacramento technician told us. Depending on how dark your skin is, you may need to reapply a number of times to see results. One Los Angeles spa even said that for some people they recommend applying it twice a week for up to eight weeks."
"Much to my ignorance, bleaching one's anus (I guess to bring it back to its budlike, puckish pink) has become an obsession far beyond the young jet set and the detail-oriented gay community. These days, anal-bleaching creams can be purchased as easily as cough drops."
"The safe pigment reducers are vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin B3 (niacin). Other herbs like emblica and licorice, and fruit acids like glycolic acid, also work. Beware, however, because the most common skin lightener, hydroquinone, is not uniformly safe. It's been banned in Europe and the FDA has proposed to ban it in the US. Hydroquinone may cause cancer and it causes rashes and can even darken the skin."
Bleaching Ingredients
Thinking about trying an anal bleaching cream so you can enjoy the benefits of the hottest trend in cosmetic enhancement? Stop. Before you buy any anal bleacher, you have to make sure you do your homework and choose a product that's safe and effective.
And when it comes to doing your homework, it all boils down to looking at the bleaching ingredients in the product. The ingredients always tell the truth. No matter how bold the marketing claims might be for an anal lightening cream, if you look at the ingredient label and it doesn't have the right components, you know it's not going to deliver on its claims.
So, what do you need to know about bleaching ingredients?
The first thing you have to know is which ingredients to stay away from. The anus is a very sensitive area, and some skin lightening products actually contain harsh, toxic ingredients that can irritate the area or cause even worse side effects.
Watch Out For Hydroquinone
The number one ingredient to be wary of is hydroquinone. Hydroquinone has been known to cause skin disorders such as Ochronosis (where certain parts of the body become colored bluish-black, among other symptoms), and has also been known to make skin incredibly sensitive.
Side Effects of Hydroquinone
What's even worse than all this though, is that hydroquinone has been linked to cancer, and many countries around the world, like Japan and the EU, have banned its inclusion in products or its use. This ingredient has been shown to be really bad for your skin, and in high concentrations, it can actually be toxic. If you're considering an anal bleaching cream that has hydroquinone, don't buy it. The risks are too great.
Instead, you should try to find an anal bleaching cream that contains proven natural ingredients, such as kojic acid. Kojic acid is a safe skin lightening ingredient that will lighten the skin without causing irritation to the sensitive spots on your body.
So what are some of these "natural" ingredients?
The following is a list of the safest and most effective ingredients found in today's leading skin lightening products:
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Emblica Extract
The Emblica plant is known to have several positive qualities, but it has especially been in the spotlight lately for its ability to fight unevenly toned skin and hyperpigmentation, especially when used in moderate amounts.
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Kojic Acid
Kojic Acid is an all-natural ingredient that is produced as a byproduct of the fermentation of rice (as in making sake) and can also be extracted from certain Asian mushrooms. It helps lighten skin by keeping melanin from being produced, and is used to address a variety of skincare issues, such as melasma and hyperpigmentation.
Kojic has left quite a footprint on the cosmetics and skincare industry since its discovery some twenty-odd years ago.
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Lactic Acid
Lactic acid, which comes from sour or fermented milk, is part of the family of Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which carry major significance for overall skin quality. When applied topically, Alpha Hydroxy Acids penetrate the deeper layers of the dermis. AHAs also increase exfoliation of surface cells by limiting cell adhesion. In combination with other skin lightening ingredients, this compound can help to significantly lighten dark skin patches over time.
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Malic Acid
Malic Acid is another AHA that has many uses for skincare, but is especially useful for skin lightening applications. Malic Acid is found in many fruits and vegetables, but is most famously found in Apples, which has led some to call it "Apple Acid".
Malic Acid penetrates the skin at a slower, more even rate than other AHAs, which can make for a decent combination if combined with another AHA.
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a-Arbutin
Alpha Arbutin can be derived from any of a number of plants that are common throughout North America (among other places), such as bearberry, blueberry, certain varieties of pear, and cranberry.
In the past several years, this ingredient has been used as a safe alternative to hydroquinone, because it works by keeping away pigmentation, rather than by killing the cells that produce pigment.
If you learn to look out for ingredients that are effective and safe, and stay away from ingredients (like hydroquinone) that can irritate the skin or have other harmful side effects down the line, then you can ensure that your anal bleaching experience is as comfortable as possible.
If you're curious about which products for anal bleaching contain which ingredients, then check out our product review section now.