Sunday, March 30, 2025

4 Impressive Kojic Acid Benefits You Need to Know About, According to Dermatologists

 Fading dark spots from home—without splurging on pricey lasers or peels—can feel like a tough ask. But with thousands of people raving about kojic acid benefits on TikTok, you might find yourself wondering if this is finally the solution you’ve been searching for.

What is kojic acid, exactly? To get technical, this active is a natural byproduct of fermenting fungi like Aspergillus oryzae, which (fun fact) is the same process used to make sake, soy sauce, miso, and other fermented favorites, Ife Rodney, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland, tells SELF. As a skin care ingredient, though, its main claim to fame is directly targeting (and reducing) the excess pigment responsible for your discoloration in the first place.

But as you may already know (perhaps from your own trial and error), hyper-pigmentation is notoriously difficult to get rid of quickly. In fact, “there’s no product that will erase those marks in just a few days,” David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF.

While kojic acid isn’t an instant fix, though, the payoff can be well worth the wait. “When used consistently and correctly, kojic acid can improve the appearance of discoloration in all forms, including sun damage and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation [from acne],” he explains.

What are the main benefits of kojic acid?

1. It can prevent dark spots from forming in the first place.

You know that frustrating moment when that giant zit finally disappears—only to leave behind a hard-to-ignore mark as a parting gift? That’s called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which pops up when your body overproduces melanin (the pigment that gives your skin and stubborn dark spots its color). That happens in response to inflammation, say from a breakout or even a bug bite. And this is where kojic acid does its best work.

Specifically, it brightens your complexion by blocking tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for producing melanin. By slowing down melanin production then, it prevents new marks from developing, Dr. Rodney explains.

2. It can fade older ones too—but only to an extent.

While kojic acid can help improve the look of older spots, don’t expect miracles on lingering marks you’ve had for years. In these cases, “the pigment is usually sitting much deeper under the skin,” Dr. Rodney explains, which makes it tough for any topical treatment to penetrate and work its magic. Dr. Kim also points out that “melanin production has likely stabilized or significantly slowed down” in these scenarios—meaning kojic acid won’t have as strong of an effect.

Because of this, both derms say you’re more likely to reap the kojic acid benefits on newer, more superficial spots or those that have been around for a few months. That said, “even though it may not completely get rid of long-standing hyperpigmentation, it doesn’t hurt to introduce brightening ingredients like kojic acid, which can still boost overall radiance and prevent the discoloration from getting worse over time,” Dr. Kim adds.

3. It may lighten melasma patches.

Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches. Unlike post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma involves excess melanin sitting both in the superficial and deeper layers of the skin. Add to the fact that it’s uniquely triggered by hormonal fluctuations that surge melanin production, making a permanent cure even more elusive.

For those reasons, both derms point out that surface-level brightening agents like vitamin C and niacinamide can only go so far on their own, and you may need to enlist the help of targeted pigment inhibitors to regulate melanin production at the source. Enter kojic acid, one of the few effective and accessible ones out there, according to research (and the experts we spoke with). One study, for instance, found that 1% kojic acid reduced both the darkness and severity of melasma over the course of three months. However, it’s worth noting that its effects were more pronounced when combined with stronger, prescription-grade treatments such as hydroquinone and betamethasone valerate (a corticosteroid).

4. It’s safe for pretty much anyone to use.

There are tons of other dark spot treatments out there that get the job done. But one of the standout kojic acid benefits is how gentle and low-risk it is for pretty much any skin type—yep, even sensitive and eczema-prone ones. “This might sound confusing since it has the word ‘acid’ in it, but it isn’t an irritating ingredient,” Dr. Kim says. “Everyone can benefit from it, regardless of skin type or tone.” (The only real risk, according to Dr. Rodney, is irritation, but this can happen with pretty much any new product—more tips on how to be mindful of this later.)

On the other hand, brightening alternatives like chemical exfoliants (think salicylic acid, glycolic acid) are great at sloughing off the top layer of your skin to reveal a fresh layer underneath. However, as Dr. Kim points out, one common downside of exfoliating is that it can sometimes be too harsh for sensitive or eczema-prone skin. Similarly, vitamin C, as SELF previously reported, is effective but also particularly potent, so applying too much can increase your risk for irritation.

And then there’s hydroquinone, another well-known, though somewhat controversial, tyrosinase inhibitor. Like kojic acid, it blocks melanin production, but it comes with a few potential risks: Namely, long-term use (as in more than six months) could lead to over-lightening your natural skin color (called “ghosting”), and in rare cases, it can even cause a condition called exogenous ochronosis, or dark, bluish-gray discoloration. (Essentially worsening the pigment problems you were trying to fix in the first place.)

How long does it take to see results?

Realistically, “it can take three months or longer to see visible improvements,” Dr. Rodney says. That might sound disappointingly long, but consider this: Dark spots can take six months to a year (sometimes more than that) to fade on their own. So in the grand scheme of things, that’s a major win.

As for how often you should use kojic acid to achieve these results? “At least once a day, twice max, though it doesn’t matter if you use it in the morning or at night,” Dr. Rodney adds. Now, if you’re new to kojic acid and have super sensitive skin, it’s best to start slow—like, once a week—to monitor for any adverse reactions. But the goal, per Dr. Rodney, “should be to increase frequency as tolerated. Otherwise, you’re not going to see significant improvement by using it once or twice a week.”

How to use kojic acid in your skin care routine

The sooner you start using kojic acid when discoloration appears, the better. But if you didn’t catch that dark spot right away, don’t worry—its still worth trying. When incorporating kojic acid into your routine, keep these expert tips in mind:

  • Start with a patch test. Even though kojic acid is low-risk, it’s still a smart move to test a small amount on your forearm before slathering it all over your face. According to Dr. Rodney, things like stinging, burning, or itching could be signs to stop using it, as it may indicate irritation.
  • Look for a concentration of 1%, max. Kojic acid can be found in creams, lotions, soaps, cleansers, and serums in concentrations up to 4%. However, Dr. Rodney (and the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) generally recommend sticking with 1% or lower (which you can find in our picks below), unless a board-certified dermatologist suggests otherwise. That way, you’ll still get those brightening effects without increasing the risk of irritation.

 


This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

 

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posted by G S Iyer at 2:01 AM

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