What Niacinamide Actually Does at the Cellular Level
Niacinamide, vitamin B3, works by blocking the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to keratinocytes. A 2002 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology by Hakozaki et al. showed that a 5% niacinamide formulation reduced hyperpigmentation and improved skin toning in Japanese women over eight weeks, with statistically significant results at week four. The mechanism is not exfoliation. It does not remove pigment that already exists in the surface layers. It interrupts the signal that tells your skin to keep depositing more.
