What is tranexamic acid best for?

1. What Is Tranexamic Acid?

Tranexamic acid is primarily used to control excessive bleeding, making it most effective for treating heavy menstrual periods, nosebleeds, bleeding during surgery, trauma, or dental procedures; in skincare, it's commonly used to address hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and melasma due to its ability to inhibit melanin production.

Tranexamic acid is a synthetic derivative of lysine, an amino acid. And although it's featured as a popular ingredient in tons of skincare products, it was initially used orally as a hemostatic agent.    It's an antifibrinolytic medication, meaning that it stabilizes and preserves blood clots to help stop bleeding from major trauma or injuries, after giving birth, with some surgeries, nosebleeds, or heavy periods.

In order to be effective for visibly reducing skin discolourations, tranexamic acid skincare products should contain between 2-5% of this ingredient .  Because topical products targeting discolouration tend to do better with supporting ingredients, it's best to look for tranexamic acid in skincare paired with other discolouration-improving ingredients, like niacinamide, various forms of vitamin C, and brightening plant extracts such as licorice root.   Combining ingredients also ensures better results because each has unique ways of targeting discolourations.

2.Is tranexamic acid or vitamin C better?

When it comes to tranexamic acid and vitamin C, one isn't better than the other. Tranexamic acid is an excellent skin brightening ingredients, while vitamin C is more of a multitasking ingredient that has antioxidant properties and collagen boosting benefits in addition to skin brightening. The good news is that topical tranexamic plays nice with vitamin C, so in most cases it's totally safe to use the two together. In fact, doubling up on brighteners may help fade your dark spots and hyperpigmentation even fast. As a rule, Dr. Alexiades suggests that anyone with sensitive or reactive skin start with tranexamic acid on its own first and then gradually introduce other actives to avoid any unwanted irritation.

3.Benefits of Tranexamic Acid Powder 99% for Skin

Tranexamic acid Powder 99% is on the World Health Organization's (WHO) List of Essential Medicines because it has historically been used to treat or stop excessive loss of blood in various situations including major trauma and surgery.3 In 1979 however, a medical professional accidentally discovered the skin benefits of tranexamic acid, when a patient of his taking the medication for chronic urticaria also experienced lightening of skin discoloration. The ingredient pairs beautifully with other brightening and skin-repairing saviors like vitamin C and your favorite SPF (which will help prevent damage and ensuing discoloration from the get-go).

4.How to Use Tranexamic Acid?

Since tranexamic acid is fairly gentle on its own, you can combine it with other skincare ingredients to maximize the benefits. "I like combining this with a retinol; I like combining it with a chemical peel; it's definitely a good adjunct to treating melasma, but it's not enough on its own," dermatologist, Kristina Goldenberg, says. Combining it with vitamin C or kojic acid maximizes its brightening power, ensuring you get the most out of the ingredient.

The best way to apply tranexamic acid? "I do love using acids in a serum," Dr. Goldenberg says. Adding that he thinks, "the best vehicle is the one that's formulated by a good manufacturer." Essentially, whatever your skin most agrees with is best. Just remember to always follow up with a moisturizer, like the CeraVe AM and PM moisturizer.

5.Is it okay to use tranexamic acid every day?

How frequently you should use tranexamic acid will vary depending on its form. “Pill forms of tranexamic acid need to be stopped intermittently,” Dr. Hausauer says. “In my practice at Aesthetx, I cycle people on and off of it, along with other maintenance therapies, including sunscreen with SPF 30 or more, lightening creams, and in-office treatments, like light lasers or microneedling.” As a topical, tranexamic acid is safe to use everyday provided your skin isn't irritated by the ingredient.

6.What are the side effects of tranexamic acid?

Although tranexamic acid is notably safer and more tolerable than many other brightening ingredients, it’s not without potential side effects. “When used topically, tranexamic may cause dryness, irritation, and flaking of the skin,” Dr. Alexiades explains.

It also carries the risk of other, non-skin-related side effects, especially when taken orally. These include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting, headache, muscle cramps, and fatigue, as well as others that should be discussed with your doctor. “By far, the most worrisome, albeit uncommon, is development of blood clots, which can be extremely serious,” Dr. Hausauer says. “Those with personal or family history of clots, blood disorders, and certain heart, kidney, or other conditions should not take tranexamic acid orally.”

Conclusion

Tranexamic acid is a water-soluble synthetic ingredient derived from the amino acid lysine. It must be used with oil-soluble ingredients to have it be most bioavailable to skin. Its primary benefit for skin is improving surface discolourations that show up due to sun damage, but it can also help other types and causes of discolourations.Click here to request a sample

References

1. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a43248943/tranexamic-acid-for-skin

2. https://www.byrdie.com/tranexamic-acid-for-skin