This might be the most bizarre post I have written (even for me!). Skin whitening injections are becoming increasingly common across the globe. You and I probably know of several people who overnight has become 20 shades fairer. That’s the impact of skin whitening injections and not a condensed Micheal Jackson treatment.
The main component of skin lightening injections is Glutathione.
The internet presents at your fingertips, a complete treasure trove of information about glutathione, including (e.g) how everyone should be having it as an oral supplement etc. How its a magical antioxidant and its a fantastic anti-ageing drug.
I don’t want to add to the plethora of (useless) information out there, mainly because Glutathione has low bio-availability is low. What this means is when you take Glutathione 1,000mg tablets every day, it doesn’t get used by your cells because it is unavailable to them (low bio-availability).
My post is only about the safety concerns around intravenously administered/injections of glutathione…. Not enough attention is paid to this.
If there is one thing that you take away from today’s post about intravenously administered Glutathione, let it be:
- There is insufficient safety data, including clinical trials supporting its use.
- Its use by spas, pseudo-medical practitioners, and medical doctors is unregulated in most countries, where it is being used to lighten skin.
- There can be serious side-effects.
What is Glutathione?
“Glutathione (GSH) was first discovered by Hopkins in 1921 in yeasts, and subsequently in other tissues. It is a tripeptide composed of L-cysteine, glycine and glutamate that is synthesised (within cells).”
Functions are:
- “It is considered the main redox buffer in human cells owing to its large amount of reducing equivalents.
- It is an important enzyme cofactor that serves as a neuromodulator in the central nervous system.
- Its an anti-oxidant. The tripeptide exists intracellularly either in an oxidized glutathione disulphide (GSSG) or reduced state (GSH), and maintaining an optimal GSH: GSSG ratio in the cell is critical for the prevention of oxidative damage and for cell survival.
An imbalance in GSH and its use as a marker of oxidative stress is reported in many diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cystic fibrosis, HIV, diabetes, anorexia, autism..” (Footnote 1)
The science behind Glutathione as a skin lightener
Glutathione induces inhibition of tyrosinase glycosylation blocks the maturation and transfer of tyrosinase. Other mechanisms of action proposed for Glutathione are listed at Footnote 2
Is intravenously administered Glutathione usage common?
Unfortunately it is. As part of writing this blog, I did some of my own research. I reached out to different dermatologists that I had found on Facebook in South Africa, India, UK and the USA who were offering glutathione injections as a means of skin lightening. Naturally the price varied by dermatologist and country. In India, a package of 6 sittings, easily cost over INR 100,000.
Why is it controversial?
In a nutshell, women around the globe are using a treatment mechanism that is unregulated and has no proven safety record in lightening skin. I really like this summary by the Filipino regulator, who clearly see it as a public health issue based on their own internal research:
“…side-effects of using Glutathione: acute renal failure, severe drug reactions such as generalized morbilliform eruption with angioedema and urticaria, vasculitis, anaphylactic shock“
In English, that translates as think very seriously about using Glutathione or: its side effects are:
- Acute renal failure: kidney failure
- Allergic reaction to drugs with swelling under the skin, hives, inflammation of blood vessels, and anaphylactic shock.
Closing
Drop me a line if you have used Glutathione to lighten skin. I would love to hear about your experience.
Footnote 1: David L M et al, Intravenous glutathione for skin lightening: Inadequate safety data, South African Medial Journal, August 2016, Vol 106, No 8, 782-786
Footnote 2: Ebanks JP, Wickett RR et al, “Mechanisms Regulating Skin Pigmentation: The Rise and Fall of Complexion Coloration” Int. J. Mol. Sci 2009, 10, 4066-4987
(A) Direct inactivation of Tyrosinase by chelating Copper within the Tyrosinase enzyme’s active sites
(B) Mediating the transition from Eumelanogenesis to Pheomelanogenesis, as Glutathione participates in the conversion of DOPAquinone to Pheomelanin
(C) Antioxidant properties quench free radicals and peroxides that induce melanin Formation
(D) Modulating the depigmenting capabilities of melanocytotoxic agents.
Other sources
Philippine Dermatological Society, PUBLIC ADVISORY ON GLUTATHIONE AS A “SKIN WHITENING” AGENT, Journal of the PDS. November 2018