What Is Kojic Acid And Its Benefits For Skin

What are kojic acid and its benefits for skin

What is Kojic Acid And The Benefits For Skin

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is a lightening ingredient often found in skincare products such as serums, soaps, body lotions, and facial moisturizers.

This one active ingredient work great to lighten the skin. However, is kojic acid safe to use? What are the benefits? Can this ingredient cause side effects? To find out, please continue to read.

What is Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is a whitening compound made from several types of fungi, including Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Acetobacter.

Before being widely used as a skin-whitening compound, kojic acid was known as a by-product of the fermentation process of alcoholic beverages, such as wine and sake.

However, starting in 1988, kojic acid has been processed from various mushrooms as one of the main ingredients for lightening or whitening the skin. 

Many beauty brands have started adding kojic acid into moisturizers, serums, soaps, body lotions, hand creams, and others to improve skin appearance, especially for a brighter skin complexion.

How Does Kojic Acid work

The melanin produced by skin cells, called melanocytes, determines a person's skin color. Everyone can have different amounts of melanin. 

In addition, everyone has a different amount of melanin depending on a person's genes, ethnicity, sun exposure, skincare routine, and outdoor activity.

Genetically, for example, melanocytes in fair-skinned people generally produce little melanin. Conversely, people with dark skin tones tend to have more melanin.

Well, research has found that kojic acid can inhibit and prevent the formation of tyrosine, an amino acid needed to produce the pigment melanin. So that's why kojic acid can be very effective for lightening the skin.

Because of that, kojic acid has so many benefits for the skin.

Kojic Acid Benefits On Skin

Below are the kojic acid benefits on the skin if they are used in beauty products or daily skin care:

1. Remove hyperpigmentation

The main benefit of kojic acid is that it has a skin-brightening effect while eliminating signs of hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tones, such as dark circles under the eyes, acne scars, dark spots, age spots, and darkening scars.

For faster results, skin care products that contain kojic acid usually also contain glycolic acid to lighten skin tone due to hyperpigmentation.

2. Overcoming melasma

Kojic acid can also help overcome the problem of dark marks or patches on the skin that are usually larger in size, such as melasma.

Usually, melasma occurs on the face or others body areas often exposed to the sun. To treat uneven skin tone due to melasma, the most effective skincare or beauty product formula is a combination of kojic acid with hydroquinone and tretinoin.

3. Fight acne

Besides brightening the skin, kojic acid is also a powerful acne remedy. The Kojic's ability to fight acne is because kojic acid has antimicrobial properties to help fight common types of bacteria that cause acne.

4. Coping with fungal infections

Kojic acid also has antifungal properties. Therefore, some antifungal products also use kojic acid to increase their effectiveness.

If you use kojic acid regularly, it has also proven very effective in treating fungal infections of the skin, such as candidiasis or ringworm.

The results of using kojic acid depend on the concentration of the active ingredient in the product. Generally, you can notice the improvement from the first two weeks, but combining kojic acid with other active ingredients can be faster.

How To Use Kojic Acid

Generally, products containing 1% kojic acid are considered safe to use. Even so, using kojic acid without following instructions can lead to several side effects, such as skin irritation.

Therefore, please always follow the instruction or guidelines given. In addition, below are several tips on how to obtain the benefits of kojic acid optimally and safely.

1. Always wear sunscreen and face protection, such as a hat or umbrella, before going out because kojic acid can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
2. Avoid using kojic acid on areas of skin that are broken or have open wounds.
3. Please pay attention to the use and expiration date of the product and other ingredients contained in it.
4. Choose products labeled hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and do not cause sensitivity to light (non-photo toxic).

For some people, especially those with sensitive skin, creams containing kojic acid can cause contact dermatitis, irritation, or allergic reaction. 

Several symptoms characterize this condition, such as redness, itchy skin, rash, irritation, pain, and swelling.

If you experience these symptoms, immediately stop using the cream and consult a skin specialist. However, consult a dermatologist before using kojic acid products for your skincare.

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