Other skin lighteners use drugs such as steroids and retinoic acid, which come from vitamin A, as active ingredients. Mercury poisoning results in acute and chronic toxicity including acrodynia, as well as neurological and kidney damage.

Products containing betamethasone valerate, fluocinonide and clobetasol propionate can be purchased over the counter from a pharmacy or from drug vendors in a marketplace in other countries. Kent Crème Bleach Kit has been formulated to give the hair on your face and body that sun-kissed look, all year long. It is still found in some skin lightening creams because mercury inactivates the enzyme that leads to the production of melanin.Before using Jolen, always make a preliminary patch test to see if you are or have become allergic/sensitive to the product. Jolen Creme Bleach Mild is a cream and powder which when mixed together lightens dark excess facial and body hair in just 10 minutes.

If hair is not sufficiently bleached, apply additional mixture over area and leave for 5 more minutes. Mercury was used as mercurous chloride, oxide and ammoniated mercury in many cosmetics and toiletries in the early part of the 20th century before it was realised it caused toxicity.In New Zealand and many other countries, stronger topical corticosteroids are regulated and can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription. Licorice is also a potent antioxidant - Glycyrrhizin in licorice root extract offers free-radicals scavenging ability.