[tigrepojke]

Hi

Have attached pictures of the large brown patch on side of my face.

The main part (bit like a Nike tick from my ear and curving up the face) has been there well over 10 years now, but in the past year or so more of the face has got this tea-stain colour.

For the main part of it is not really a problem, only shows when clean shaven and most of the time stubble covers it as only shave once a week.

Really wanting to get rid of the splotchy brown mark more towards my cheek/nose, and if it works on that then maybe I can get rid of the whole lot.

So the point of this post is can someone who has seen this before/dealt with before/knows someone who has etc give me some advice on what you know may work.

I've tried couple of bleaching creams, can't remember first ones name or ingredients, last one tried was Surewhite with kojic acid as main ingredient.

Also tried lemon and cider vinegar both neat and in mask form.

I've been on obagi now for almost a year, had a bluepeel as well. My skin now looks 10 years younger but the brown marks are still there.
Did obagi to get rid of brown mark, kept them but got younger looking skin. So I'm happy and unhappy, hahah.
It is faded though, see the pics. The first 2 on here are from last year, then the last one is a photo from today just now.

I'm posting asking for advice instead of searching the forums as I've been on the boards almost 2 hours now and have read a books worth of posts. Plus a lot of them seem to deal with people with darker skin types so hoping if I shout out some people might be able to advise me on what could help my skin type.

Guess I'm just hoping to get some info from those who have seen these sorts of marks before and know what to use. And then I can do what they recommend.
Should I stick with the obagi or try something new?

Thanks in advance to any who can help

 

[ondine]

I've heard good things about the Bluepeel. As for your stubborn mark, it might be something metabolic (possibly from a vitamin with too much beta carotene). Please go see a nutritionist and a doctor for a full physical. No cream will fix the problem if it is treating the wrong cause. Good luck!

 

[mariepop]

Can I ask how old are you? You look really young. I thought first it was those spots you get when you get old, but doesn't look like it, and you are not old. Did you see a dermatologist?

 

[Lexi2009]

That looks like calssic Melasma. I use tri-Luma I got from a plastic surgeon's office. It worked in three days! I do not tan my face despite being a sunworshipper and sun avoidance is crucial for improvement of that. The tri-luma is very hard to use, I recommend starting it on a Thursday or Friday to have a weekend to hide as the first days are the worst. I now use it only twice a week and will not buy another tube. BUT it did instantly get rid of my discoloration/melasma.

 

[ondine]

Tri-Luma scares me though; I've read too many stories of bleeding & rashes. I'd be safe & use something that perhaps takes longer than 3 days BUT doesn't do any damage.

 

[Lexi2009]

Honestly, I have sensitive skin and the worst was dry skin for me and some dry/peeling nearly bleeding on my neck. I otherwise had the melasma go away in THREE days! Literally! Tigrepojke--are you Swedish? If not disregard it but pojke is boy in Swedish so I was curious.

 

[gymrat]

tigrepojke- do you wear sunscreen? I am wondering if maybe you got some of the fading from the Obaji products, then you didn't wear sunscreen and the hyperpigmentation started to come back again?

I don't know just a thought from silly oh me. I know for myself. When I have used my products for hyperpigmentation I have to really be faithful at applying my sunscreen, or I have done alot of work for nothing basically.

If I were you, I would go back to were you bought the Obagi, assuming you purchased this from a Dr's office.

 

[ondine]

that is a good point. Many people forget to put on sunscreen. Even those who do often forget to reapply it. Neutrogena makes a non oily one for the face (spf 30) that doesn't turn you blue. It comes in a format small enough to keep in a jacket pocket. Perhaps that's an option to try?

 

[Lexi2009]

I do not believe SPF 30 is sufficient for anyone using retinoids. I personally cannot go walk my dogs without turning red from the sun. I live in the tropics so naturally it is a stronger sun but even with SPF50 UVA/UVB block I get tan or red like it or not. I have tried putting zinc in there and mixing it, which I do for direct exposure (going to the beach), but it is too greasy for day to day use. I do find that baby powder over creams does seem to deflect the sun from my face-unfortunately it also goes into any slight crease making the small lines under my eyes look significantly worse.

 

[ondine]

Of course a hot tropical sun would demand something stronger. I live in Canada so for most of the year, the sun is very weak. In summer, we get many overcast terribly humid days where I am so 30 works. I guess, too, it depends on individual skin type. My Sister in law is very pale (Nordic) & she must use the LaRoche Posay 70 sunscreen & even with that, she wears a sun hat & has to be careful or she turns beet red & then peels.

 

[Lexi2009]

I am quite dark but I have lived in Sweden and Northern Europe for a long time and now am living in Miami so it is a change for my skin and while I always used tanning beds they are the lesser of two evils compared to a tropical sun. Now that I try and avoid the sun more I see how hard it is. I get color even with Zinc on under an SPF 50 etc. I am actually jealous now of people that live in the grey cold weather, it is so much better for the skin!