I would say that one needs to be very careful of trying lightening preparations or pigmentation creams that are available over the counter. Often, creams that can be easily bought off the shelf contain extremely low concentrations of the active ingredients needed to target the pigmentation. One must also be careful to make sure exactly WHAT the active ingredients in those products are as there are a lot of ingredients on the market that are not necessarily the best for the skin. If your pigmentation is a big concern for you, rather make the investment and see an aesthetic Dr who can analyse your skin, and give YOU the best advice and the best treatment and product prescription.