4-phenylimidazole-2-thione tyrosinase inhibitors and treatment or prevention of pigmentary disorders therewith

A regime or regimen for the treatment and/or prevention of pigmentary disorders, comprising topically applying onto the skin, mucous membranes and/or superficial body growth of an individual in need of such treatment, a thus effective amount of at least one tyrosinase inhibiting compound of general formula (I):

• wherein:
• R1 and R2, which may be identical or different, are each:
• a hydrogen atom,
• a C1-C7 alkyl radical,
• a hydroxymethyl, trifluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy or trifluoromethyl radical,
• a C3-C7 cycloalkyl radical, with the proviso that one of the carbon atoms of the ring may be optionally replaced by an oxygen or sulfur atom,
• a C4-C9 cycloalkylalkyl radical,
• a morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, piperazinyl or N-methylpiperazinyl group,
• a carboxyl substituent,
• a (C1-C4 alkoxy)carbonyl group,
• a C1-C6 alkoxy radical, or
• a halogen atom,
• with the proviso that, when R2 is in the ortho position with respect to R1, then R1 and R2, which may be identical or different, are each a C1-C5 alkyl radical, or form a hydrocarbon ring containing 5 or 6 atoms, and also with the proviso that 1 or 2 carbon atom(s) of said hydrocarbon ring can optionally be replaced by 1 or 2 oxygen atom(s),
• and/or the salts of the compounds of formula (I) and/or the tautomeric forms thereof, formulated into a topically applicable, pharmaceutically/cosmetically acceptable vehicle therefor.