Glutathione Radiance Treatment

Glutathione is the body's most abundant intracellular antioxidant — a tripeptide (glutamic acid, cysteine, glycine) that plays a critical role in detoxification, immune function, and melanin regulation.

How glutathione brightens skin:

Glutathione inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase, which is the rate-limiting step in melanin synthesis. By reducing tyrosinase activity, glutathione shifts melanin production from eumelanin (dark brown/black pigment) toward pheomelanin (lighter, reddish pigment). This produces a gradual, natural brightening of the skin — not "bleaching" but a shift in the type of melanin being produced.

The Vernon glutathione protocol:

IV Infusion (Primary): 600–1200mg of pharmaceutical-grade glutathione delivered intravenously. This is the most effective delivery method as oral glutathione is largely degraded in the GI tract. Sessions are weekly for 8–12 weeks, then monthly for maintenance.

Combination approach: Glutathione is most effective when combined with:
- High-dose Vitamin C (which recycles oxidized glutathione back to its active form)
- Alpha-lipoic acid (another glutathione recycler)
- N-acetyl cysteine (the rate-limiting precursor for glutathione synthesis)

What to expect: Results are gradual and cumulative. Most patients notice improved skin radiance and even tone by session 6–8. The brightening effect is subtle and natural — skin looks healthier and more luminous rather than artificially lightened.

Medical context: At Vernon, glutathione therapy is physician-supervised. We do not offer glutathione to patients seeking dramatic skin color change — it is an antioxidant and skin health treatment that produces modest, natural brightening as a secondary benefit.