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CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, is an antioxidant produced naturally in your body. Your cells need it for growth and maintenance. Coenzyme Q10 is helpful in a variety of health disorders. It can lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, help people suffering from angina, and reduce the risk of repeat heart attacks. If you’re low in Coenzyme Q10, your body will let you know – you’ll experience fatigue and muscle weakness, among other symptoms.
If you have loose skin or cellulite, Coenzyme Q10 will solve the problem for you. It is a strong antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals that cause your skin to age. As a result, Coenzyme Q10 is excellent at tightening your skin. It also promotes collagen production, which in turn reduces line lines and wrinkles.
There seem to be no known drawbacks of applying Coenzyme Q10 topically, unless if you are allergic to the compound. People with skin disorders have experienced itching and rashes after taking an oral supplement. A Coenzyme Q10 oral supplement can have various side effects, including nausea, upper abdominal pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, headaches, irritability, insomnia, and fatigue.
Melasma is a specific example of hyperpigmentation. Melasma looks like whole patches of brown or darker skin across the parts of the face and neck. Melasma is common among women who are pregnant - it’s even referred to as “the mask of pregnancy.” But melasma can occur in both men and women who are not pregnant, too. Melasma can be caused by UV damage, but there are also genetic, hormonal, and medication-induced causes for melasma, too.
There are a variety of topical ingredients that can be used to lighten the skin from melasma or reduce its appearance. Each ingredient works in different ways, and each has their own benefits and drawbacks. hydroquinone, arbutin, vitamin C (ascorbic acid, and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, etc) are some of the most commonly used ingredients for melasma treatment.
Hydroquinone is a skin lightening cream that works by suppressing the production of melanin. There are drawbacks to using hydroquinone, however, including cancer risks demonstrated by recent scientific studies, as well as hydroquinone-induced ochronosis.
Arbutin is a synthesized derivative of hydroquinone. It acts as a powerful skin lightening ointment that works a bit differently than hydroquinone. It blocks the production of melanin instead of “bleaching” the skin.
Vitamin C can be used as a brightening agent to lighten the hyperpigmentation of your sunspots or melasma. It works by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, preventing the formation of melatonin.
Ascorbic Acid is actually the formal scientific name for one form of Vitamin C. It can refer to either a naturally occurring Vitamin C found in foods such as citrus, or a synthetic form of ascorbic acid created to be more shelf-stable for skincare products like discoloration repair lotions and creams.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is another form of Vitamin C. By synthesizing this compound from Vitamin C, dermatologists are able to give us all the benefits of Vitamin C in a more shelf-stable form that can also be soluble in oil to make more effective, deeper penetrating skin products. (Herndon 2016)
Ingredients in the vitamin A family (ie. Retinol, tretinoin, etc) and acids (glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid) help damaged pigmented skin cells shred faster, so they also help with melasma.
CoQ10 may be effective for melasma, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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