Skin brightening treatments utilizing glutathione are commonly known as 'IU injections'.

What is Glutathione?

Glutathione is a crucial antioxidant substance abundantly present in various tissues throughout our body, including the liver, kidneys, and brain.

This substance helps remove reactive oxygen species (free radicals) from our body and contributes to reducing cell damage. Furthermore, it can aid in reactivating the functions of other antioxidants like Vitamins C and E, protecting cells, and helping maintain a healthy state.

Glutathione's Role in Skin Tone Management

In addition to its inherent antioxidant functions, glutathione can contribute to making the skin tone appear clearer and more even.

Regulation of Melanin-Producing Enzyme Activity

By regulating the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in melanin production, it can help reduce excessive pigment deposition in the skin.

Induction of Melanin Type Conversion

It can promote the production of the lighter pigment pheomelanin rather than eumelanin, which darkens skin color, thereby helping the overall skin tone appear brighter.

Reduction of Pigmentation Due to Antioxidant Action

Reactive oxygen species generated by UV exposure or inflammatory reactions can stimulate melanin production. Glutathione can help reduce excessive pigment production by eliminating these reactive oxygen species.

Synergistic Action with Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps reactivate oxidized glutathione, and glutathione inhibits melanin synthesis. Thus, these two components interact synergistically, leading to positive effects on skin tone improvement.

In summary, glutathione is an ingredient that can contribute to making skin tone natural and even by regulating melanin production and inducing the creation of lighter pigments.

Our Clinic's Glutathione Treatment Method

Glutathione is an ingredient often encountered in oral or injectable forms. However, each method may have its limitations.

Limitations of Oral Glutathione Intake

When taken orally, the absorption rate in the gastrointestinal tract can be relatively low. Most of it is metabolized in the liver, meaning the amount that actually reaches and acts on the skin may be limited.

For this reason, it's important to note that it may be difficult to observe significant skin tone improvement through oral intake alone.

Considerations for Intravenous Injection Method

Glutathione administered via intravenous injection spreads throughout the systemic blood circulation, which may limit its ability to deliver the ingredient intensively to specific skin areas.

While this method can be beneficial for systemic antioxidant effects or liver function management, its targeting ability may be somewhat reduced when aiming for localized pigmentation or skin tone improvement on the face.

Our Clinic's Unique Glutathione Application Method

Utilizing Iontophoresis Technique: We use a micro-current to concentratedly deliver glutathione past the skin barrier, close to the dermis layer. This can help compensate for the limitations of oral intake or injection methods.

Targeted Localized Care: The ingredient does not spread throughout the entire body, but is directed for concentrated absorption into specific facial areas requiring pigmentation or skin tone improvement.

Use of High-Concentration Undiluted Solution: To fully leverage the potential benefits of glutathione, we use undiluted, high-concentration ampoules. This enhances expectations for antioxidant effects and skin tone improvement.

Our clinic operates a care program for glutathione treatment that aims for a more direct approach than oral intake and a more localized approach than injections.

Absorption Principle and Advantages of Iontophoresis

Challenges with Oral Glutathione Intake: Glutathione taken orally has inconsistent absorption rates in the gastrointestinal tract, and most of it is metabolized in the liver, making it difficult for a sufficient amount to reach the skin.

Limitations of Topical Application: The stratum corneum on the skin's surface acts as an important barrier, preventing the penetration of external substances. Water-soluble ingredients like glutathione can find it difficult to pass through this stratum corneum and penetrate deep into the skin.

Key Advantages of Iontophoresis

Utilizing Electrical Repulsion: By leveraging the negatively charged property of glutathione, micro-currents are used to push the ingredient past the skin's protective barrier, aiding in its delivery.

Electro-osmosis Effect: Micro-currents generate a subtle fluid flow within the skin. This contributes to expanding pathways through which active ingredients can be absorbed.

Potential for Deep Penetration of Active Ingredients: It can enable the delivery of active ingredients, such as glutathione, not merely to the skin's surface but close to the dermis layer.

Thus, iontophoresis is a method that allows active ingredients to be absorbed 'more directly than oral intake and deeper than topical application'.

Recommended Treatment Interval and Number of Sessions

Treatment Frequency: Generally, treatments can be considered at weekly intervals.

Recommended Sessions: For desired improvement, we recommend a consistent course of at least 5 sessions. Treatment results may vary by individual.

Maintenance Plan: After treatment, regular follow-up care can help you stably maintain the improved skin tone.