DNA Saturday.                                                                                                                                                                                       Mumbai, August23, 2008

The Heart of Darkness

Do they really work? City doctors have their doubts

        According to most dermatologists, achieving fairness up to 20 per cent is possible, but not more than that, and this effect is ensured only if the cream is applied daily. It seems that no cream can bring about a remarkable change in a person’s skin colour. “The fairness creams are not effective And they just make tall claims,” says Dr Ram Malkani, head of the dermatology department at Jaslok Hospital.It depends on the person’s skin type and exposure to the sun.

          The side effects of the cream may vary depending on the type of skin. Prolonged application could also render hair growth and thinning of the skin. “If the chemical hydroquinone is used in any of the creams, then it might get deposited in skin leading to pigmentation.” says Dr. Malkani