Skin Lightening

It was a long summer. Lots of sun and beach. I of course protected myself from those dangerous, harmful rays.

My checkup visit with my dermatologist in the beginning of this month was so much different from that first visit, with tears and emotions flowing everywhere.

First thing I do at my appointment is wipe off my face to remove makeup. The doctor takes a close look at my skin and snaps a picture. He says "hmmmm" concentrating on my forhead, where I have never had a spot or any worries.

We proceed back to his desk for his "diagnosis". Yes I had noticed a little darkening in general but none on my major spots. Lets just say a light tanning. He says that we must take advantage of the fall and winter months to go lighten the skin up. I tell him I don't need porcelain type skin. I do agree that maybe if I let up on my treatment I will be back to where I started from.

He prescribes me a special formula to be prepared by the pharmacist, again 6% hydroquinone for a month and 2 months of 7% hydroquinone. No more miami peels. I am scheduled to return in 3 months for a checkup.

I am still confident and happy with my progress. But wonder when will I be able to stop with hydroquinone cream.. I will ask him at my next visit.

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog!

Summer Update

I still remember how I use to love summer and my beautiful tan, especially on my face.

My olive skin tone gets a great golden tan and I use to love to sport a healthy glow. My face was my main priority, no sunblock, just a hat to protect my hair from frying.

My complexion without makeup has always been ghostly, almost ill looking. I've always had to wear makeup to look decent, so summer was my time to change and look naturally healthy.

Little did I know that all those years, all those summers, I was provoking what today is my battle with melasma.

Although some of us are more prone to melasma genetically, I still wonder if I could have avoided my condition. Taking a closer look at my family, I have noticed that my main spot (lentigo), is also present in my father and brother, but located near their temple, almost going unnoticed, especially in a male.

So for those of you going through the same struggles with melasma...Do other members of your immediate family have any signs of melasma?

I have ruled out birth control and hormone dysfunction as my causes.

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Updating my progress I am glad to inform everyone that this summer has been a success and I have not noticed any further darkening.

I wear sunblock and my spf waterproof makeup even to the beach (where I live).

At night I continue to apply as directed by my doctor, my lightening cream with 4% hydroquinone, and afterwards I apply Quintessence Serum C Antioxidant and Firming Drops, also recommended by my doctor. I thought the latter of the 2 was an additional product he was adding on to my tab to increase his income, but it has proven to be an amazing product and one which I will definetly add to my regular regimen even after my treatment is completed.

By the way a little goes a long way and the bottle although small last for awhile, I have had mine since April and is only half empty. The ingredients are Glycerine, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Asorbic Acid, Aqua, Propylene Glycol, phenosythenol, Trietthanolamine.

I need to schedule a follow up appointment with my doctor at the end of the summer.

One Year Later

It's been almost one year after starting My Battle with Melasma.

I started with a strict regimen of no sun and prescription Hydroquinone cream 5% with retinoic acid, I went through about 6 Miami Peels and had Alex Q switched laser 3 months ago. The overall results are satisfactory. I am very happy actually especially when I look at the BEFORE AND AFTER pictures. That is when you can tell the difference.

I am still On Hydroquinone 4% morning and night but I only apply at night during the summer. I have lots of visitors this summer and have had to be out in the sun at peak hours something I would never do, but I am protecting myself a with a big had and under the umbrella whenever possible. I do have to say that after 2 years of being out of the sun, this summer I have acquired a nice golden tan but just on my body not on my face. It feels good and I feel healthy.

In August I will pay a visit to my dermatologist to see what he has to say.

I hope everyone is having a good summer please, please, don't forget your sunscreen, especially on your face, and reapply as much as possible!

Triplet Sisters Scarred In Fire Have New Hope

As I was doing my daily web surfing I casually came upon a link to The Triplet Sisters .

It's worth the read and take a look at the photo gallery. Makes my problems and maybe others seem rather petty.

Although I do like what one of the sister's says "What you are like inside is what’s important, but that doesn’t mean what’s outside doesn’t count."

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

Thanks to lots of good advice I stopped looking in the mirror so much.

I'm learning to step back and look at myself as a whole, not as a spot or a blotch.

It's helped alot. Especially not to look at myself without makeup, that is the worst, so I avoid it as much as possible.

If I look good with makeup and do some great coverup why worry so much and fester over a perfect complexion?

I am still recuperating after a bad experience with laser 2 months ago and post hyperpigmentation. As directed by my dermatologist, I am applying a hydroquinone 4% cream morning and night and at night an additional serum with cucumber extract. My complexion is almost pre-laser and I hope it stays that way.

Yes, as all of us with melasma....

I'm worried a little about the summer, but not panicking. I have my big sunglasses, floppy hats and sunscreen ready. Will definitely avoid sun exposure during peak hours between 1-5 in sunny Spain!

I'm posting a picture of me with a quick makeup routine for a weekend spent indoors. Can't tell I have melasma....can you????

A Minor Setback

I wish I could tell everyone that my experience with laser was the last leg of this melasma journey.

Unfortunately I feel somehow that I am almost back to where I started from. The main spot on my right cheek, the most obvious and the one that worried and bothered me the most had gotten lighter with 8 months of peels and skin lightening creams. I was satisfied, and with the wonderful makeup I was using I had almost perfect skin. But to be on the safeside and so I wouldn't have any recurrence I opted for laser to rid the spot.

After almost 2 weeks post laser I feel the spot is darker and on top of that where he gave me laser in other areas I have new spots I didn't have before!!

I feel helpless and defeated. I am not back to where I started from, but I don't feel as optimistic as before. The worst part is I have new spots I never had.

I have taken a picture but just can't bear to put them up. I will later but not today.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday. We'll see what he says. I for sure will tell him exactly the way I feel.

Happy after Laser Treatment

It has been almost a week and most of my little scabs from laser are gone. As for the spots, most are gone leaving just a little red patch, apparently where the new skin is resurfacing. I am so far very satisfied except for in one area. Although it has improved 95% I just don't want it coming back.

I have a doctors appointment in 2 weeks so I will see what he says. I will post pics so everyone can view my progress.

I feel great and am sooo happy I took on the journey to fight doing it patiently, and confidently.

Before and After Laser

THIS IS BEFORE I WENT IN FOR LASER

THIS IS 5 HOURS POST LASER

After almost 9 monts of treatment (see where it all began), 6 Miami Peels later, and a good load of money, yesterday I went in for my laser treatment on my lentigos.

Three hours before the intervention, I was to apply, at home, an anesthetic cream and place plastic wrap where I had spots. I looked just beautiful! Sorry forgot to take pictures.

"Five minutes" he said. That's how long the process would take.

It looked like an operating room. Lots of different high tech machines and those high voltage lights hanging form the cieling. I put a hoodie on and a robe and little footsies. He covered my eyes, and as the nurse held a small hose blowing out cold air, he began shooting away. That's what it felt like. Little tiny pellets hitting my skin. It didn't hurt much, thanks to the anesthetic, but unfortunately I hadn' t noticed how many spots I had, so when he lasered some parts that didn't have the cream it hurt a little more.

It began to smell like burnt something.... it was my skin!! It felt hot.

They placed a cold ice pack on for about 5 minutes. Then the nurse applied makeup to protect me from the sun and said I had to wear the makeup and my sunblock everyday, as I have been...for ever it seems.

She said I would build up a scab on the areas that had been lasered and would be almost back to normal in 10 days.

I have to go in today for the nurse to check my progress.

I have to wash off with a special olive oil dermatological soap, put an antiseptic on, and an antibiotic cream, then my sunblock and makeup.

Last night, I scared my family when they saw my face ( see pictures). This morning I woke up looking better, or maybe just getting use to seeing myself!

Spring Is Here!!

I can´t believe I have abandoned this blog for so long.

Sorry to all of those interested in my progress. I guess maybe since things have gotten better I haven´t given it so much attention. But unfortunately "my battle with melasma" continues.

It´s been almost 9 months since I started my treatment. And after monthly visits and 6 Miami Peels later I am almost free of my lentigos, almost!

The first week of April I am scheduled for laser, (Alex Q-switched) on those resistant spots that have not vanished completely with the cream or peelings.

I will post pics before I go in for laser April 2nd!

I turn 39 in April and am hoping that when I turn 40 I can start it off clean and clear!