A novel method to study the skin-lightening effect of topical materials.

Skin without significant dyschromia is an aesthetic requirement for people worldwide. There are several in vitro methods to determine the whitening potential of actives; however, the in vivo testing of skin whiteners is a long and expensive process. We have designed a rapid clinical method to screen potential skin whiteners using a UV-induced skin tan as a model. Small areas of identical suntan are repeatably induced on the skin, and treatment of these sites allows rapid screening of several skin whiteners within the course of a month. The method provides reproducible results and valuable information about the potential skin-lightening activity of topical preparations.