No, the effects of skin lightening creams are not permanent. You cannot apply a skin lightening cream once and be assured for the rest of your life that the lightning effect is going to persist. They cannot control the production of melanin in your skin permanently. They can only temporarily restrict the activities of melanocytes. These are the cells that regenerate to produce more melanin. The creams either stop these cells or destroy them to promote lighter skin. Some creams have been formulated for a longer-lasting effect like for a week but lifetime effects cannot be expected from one use of even the best skin bleaching cream.