Is arbutin safe to use every day?

Yes, it is safe to use arbutin every day. Depending on your skin's sensitivity, it can be used twice daily. Arbutin is a derivative of hydroquinone, which is banned in many countries. However, arbutin is not banned in any country, as it is linked to a lower risk of side effects than hydroquinone.

Arbutin is a compound of hydroquinone and D-glucose, and it has been over 30 years since serious studies have been conducted on the skin-lightening action of this substance. Arbutin is a topical ingredient famed for its ability to leave your skin aglow. It is a derivative of hydroquinone (a topical skin lightener).

Arbutin is structurally similar to L-tyrosine and can bind to the active site of TYR, thereby acting as a competitive inhibitor. In addition, arbutin can irreversibly inactivate TYR by binding to the enzyme Emet when diphenol substrates are deficient. Of course, arbutin may act as a substrate for TYR in the form of Eoxy when diphenol substrates are present. The last mechanism may not be excluded because arbutin has been shown to increase cellular melanin synthesis under certain conditions. However, most studies support the mechanism by which arbutin inhibits the catalytic activity of TYR or causes its irreversible inactivation, thereby preventing melanin synthesis in cells.

Arbutin exhibits different toxicity levels depending on the cell type and exposure time, but 1 mM is considered a boundary concentration between cytotoxicity and safety. Therefore, the alleviating action of arbutin on cellular melanin synthesis and oxidative stress observed at 1 mM or lower concentration is interpreted as physiologically significant. When arbutin is treated in vivo, its concentration in contact with cells must be maintained at 1 mM or lower so that beneficial efficacy without the risk of severe side effects can be expected.

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