[YellowLeave]

Hi skin lightening experts,
I have been wondering how much can HQ lighten the skin. Is it only a couple of shades or what exactly?
Can it take you from Jessica Alba complexion to Anne Hathaway?


I'm only on day two of Retin A+ HQ regimen, so yeah

 

[ondine]

It CAN do that according to the medical website I visited (Dr's talking to other Dr's.) They said that Fitzpatrick types IV & higher often need higher concentrations (10%-20%) to achieve this. They say that these skin types need to use it 2x/day for a longer period than would a tan or Asian skin type (varies from one person to another). The important thing they say is to use it in the lowest concentration that will get you the results you want then switch to a low concentration & apply less frequently to maintain the change. sunblock is an absolute must.

Is this what you are trying to do? Not that there's anything wrong with it in & of itself. You ought to be able to choose how you want to look. Just be sure such pallor will suit your unique facial features. Think also of where you reside. If you live in a hot sunny climate, Ann Hathaway's skin tone might prove impractical.

 

[Lexi2009]

I want to know what on Earth MJ used? I mean I just heard autopsy details and it was stated that he was whiter "than anyone" the source had ever seen, and this is a person working with cadavers! Also noteworthy is that he is bald and I do wonder if it has to do with his bleaching practices.

 

[YellowLeave]

Ondine
That's awesome. I can really get Anne complexion, really that's awesome.
So, Should I use higher concentration like 10% HQ? BTW I'm much lighter than Jessica.
Yup, I'm planing to get Anne's complexion right now. Since I used to have pale complexion, Anne's pale wouldn't be too dramatic for my features.
-Living in a sunny hot climate isn't really a problem, coz we don't have outdoors activity due to the unbearable hotness LoL Besides, I am planing to get a super conservative clothes and get rid of the none conservative ones. also, I will carry my parasol all the time.

I want to know what on Earth MJ used? I mean I just heard autopsy details and it was stated that he was whiter "than anyone" the source had ever seen, and this is a person working with cadavers! Also noteworthy is that he is bald and I do wonder if it has to do with his bleaching practices.

bald? meaning he has no hair on his head?is that a wig he was wearing all the time? news to me.

 

[ondine]

He began lightening with THe HQ4% (Eldoquin) & RA actually. When his ranch was searched during his legal debacle, lots of it was found. Remember how he faded from black to brown to tan just after Thriller? Then, once he was already fair, he zonked the rest of his melanin with high doses of Benoquin (mono). He took it overboard, though imo. I DO believe he had Vitiligo (I remember seeing blotchiness) but I think he lightened pre-emptively.

The baldness is something several African Americans have chosen to do. They say Tyra has no hair of her own either. This way, they can more easily wear those lace-front wigs with the natural looking hairlines. For those who can afford all the wigs they could possibly want, why bother having your own hair (that's the reasoning).

 

[ondine]

Yellowleave, if you are that fair already, you don't need anything higher than the 4% HQ. More will not make lightening go faster. It'll likely irritate your already quite fair skin. Either way, the dark pigment does not 'bleach away' per se, it must cycle away through exfoliation. The RA will boost this process. Then the HQ4%'s effect will be seen in the reduced melanin content of the new skin.

My features too are more suited to fairer skin too. While I don't see myself with MJ's colour (or complete lack thereof) I would look good fair like Isabelle Adjani. Even then, I really like golden Hispanic skin tones too.

 

[YellowLeave]

Ondine, you really smart and have a lot of information.

I'm not really into having faster result but into deeper result.
I thought higher concentration will do the trick. I will stick to 4% as u suggested.
-I'm not really that fair, I just know that I'm much lighter than Jessica. She seems that she is the only one who has the dreadful yellowish undertone that I have.
I'm Jamie Lynn Sigler fair,
but more with golden yellowish undertones.

 

[ondine]

Wow! I love Jessica Alba's skin tone. Different strokes, I guess... Getting from where you are to where you want to be ought to be a hop & a skip. Thanks for the compliment. I am striving to become better informed. This unique forum is a magnet for intelligent inquisitive people. Trolls do not last long here. I bet your tone is not so dreadful at all; you probably just don't like it. It'll be gone soon enough. Hang in there!

 

[kitskid]

I want to know what on Earth MJ used? I mean I just heard autopsy details and it was stated that he was whiter "than anyone" the source had ever seen, and this is a person working with cadavers! Also noteworthy is that he is bald and I do wonder if it has to do with his bleaching practices.

I just finished watching a TV program about MJ and it said he was "Lily White" from head to toe...that must mean you can bleach everything! He would go to his dermatologist several times a week, Ondinewhere can I buy the bleaching compound and what strength do I need/ I have blond hair and blue eyes but my arms are all blotchy from aging, not looking after myself and not using sun screen and i want to even out my skin colour, I always look dirty.

After watching the TV program I thought I would check this SCT sight...I knew you would have an answer. MJ must have had a the dermatologist bleach his skin that white.

 

[GoddessOfEarth]

Tyra Banks has hair. She sometimes sports cornrows. She needs a new lace wig applier. Her line shows too much too often.

 

[kitskid]

I just finished watching a TV program about MJ and it said he was "Lily White" from head to toe...that must mean you can bleach everything! He would go to his dermatologist several times a week, Ondine where can I buy the bleaching compound and what strength do I need/ I have blond hair and blue eyes but my arms are all blotchy from aging, not looking after myself and not using sun screen and I want to even out my skin colour, I always look dirty.

After watching the TV program I thought I would check this SCT sight...I knew you would have an answer. MJ must have had a the dermatologist bleach his skin that white.

Ondine...when I said "bleach" I meant the HQ.

Thank you!

 

[Luzolo]

It CAN do that according to the medical website I visited (Dr's talking to other Dr's.) They said that Fitzpatrick types IV & higher often need higher concentrations (10%-20%) to achieve this. They say that these skin types need to use it 2x/day for a longer period than would a tan or Asian skin type (varies from one person to another). The important thing they say is to use it in the lowest concentration that will get you the results you want then switch to a low concentration & apply less frequently to maintain the change. sunblock is an absolute must.

Is this what you are trying to do? Not that there's anything wrong with it in & of itself. You ought to be able to choose how you want to look. Just be sure such pallor will suit your unique facial features. Think also of where you reside. If you live in a hot sunny climate, Ann Hathaway's skin tone might prove impractical.

Someone with Fitzpatrick skin type V or higher if they used 10%-20% HQ wouldn't it damage their skin eventually compared to if it was a lower concentration such as 4% HQ? Also, how long would someone with a skin type of V or higher need to use 10%-20% HQ to get 5 or 6 shades lighter compared to if they use only 4% HQ?

Thanks!

 

[little erin]

Someone with Fitzapatrick skin type IV would need to use HQ concentration of at least 10% for considerable results. Bear in mind this should be done safely. Any abuse of HQ can give you negative results and lead you to conclude its harmful. After one has acheived their desired shade, they need to maintain with a lower concentration of HQ, say 4%, and this doesn't have to be everyday. Can be once or twice a week.

How long one would take using HQ 10% compared to 4% is dependent on a number of variables.

> Firstly, results will be faster with HQ 10%.
> Another thing to consider that has been stressed here severally is use of sunblock (not sunscreen) -The higher the sunblock factor the better protected you are.
> Also, where do you live? In a sunny, cool or wet region? The amount of UVA and UVB you are exposed to depends on your region and will affect your lightening.
> How are using your products? Are you applying them as per instruction and in moderation?
> What other products are using using to complement your lightening? These are soups, exfoliants. Are they well suited for your skin type and do they aid in your lightening?
> What are you eating? Your nutrition needs to be well taken care of, especially in the vitamin department.

Off the top of my head, this is the best way I can answer your questions for now.

 

[ondine]

Way to go Erin! Great advice.

As for all the talk about 'dangerous' HQ, the real risks are whith the ingestion of the raw powdery crystals. In these few cases, it was people working in HQ labs who did not follow safety protocols. they were breathing the stuff in (NOT sniffing it deliberately like junkies) & getting it into their eyes & mouths. Wear gloves, goggles & a mask & be careful when compounding: work rapidly & efficiently. Keep it stored in an air tight opaque container (inside of a tightly closed plastic bag first. Store it well out of reach of children & clearly label it so nobody mistakes it for sugar, salt or splenda. It looks a lot like a blend of splenda & sugar.

As for exactly how long it'll take to lighten a Fitz, type IV, it is tough to say since each skin is unique & every person is different re the steady use of sunblock & avoiding prolongued sun exposure. Someone in Jamaica would have a tougher time lightening dramatically than the same person if he moved to foggy rainy chilly (so he's now wearing long pants & long sleeves) London. You need to have sense with this stuff: 2x/day on clean dry skin. Morning & night. Retin A to aid exfoliation. A gentle hand with rubbing & scrubbing. SUNBLOCK and avoiding much exposure to the sun. Regular use. You cannot do this every other day. Forget lightening then blowing it all by re-tanning dark again, then re-bleaching, then re-tanning. Bad idea.

I was a Fitz 5. I am now a Fitz 4. This stuff works. I began in Jan & I am 4 foundation shades lighter. At the beginning, the dark foundation (Maybelline dream matte mousse in Dark 2) slightly brightened my skin. Now the same brand's Medium 4 disappears into my skin. By next year in Jan, I plan to have achieved my goal. Whether I'll go lighter or not will remain to be seen.

 

[Luzolo]

Thank you very much little erin and ondine!

 

[ondine]

Any time, Luzolo. i hope you stick around & share your process (once you ultimately decide on one) & let everyone know about your progress.

 

[Chino]

I want to know what on Earth MJ used? I mean I just heard autopsy details and it was stated that he was whiter "than anyone" the source had ever seen, and this is a person working with cadavers! Also noteworthy is that he is bald and I do wonder if it has to do with his bleaching practices.

Michael was diagnosed with Lupus (and Vitiligo). My mother has Lupus and it has caused her hair to stop growing in some places on her scalp and fall out on other parts of the scalp. He also suffered 2nd degree burns from the Pepsi commercial accident in the 1980's. I remember seeing photos of MJ's as a young girl, back in the early 1980's (Off The Wall era). He had light spots on his chest area, where it appeared makeup/foundation was smeared or running down his chest.

 

[ondine]

I remember seeing him looking patchy. At the time, I thought it was just badly done stage makeup. Vitiligo is a humiliating & emotionally devastating disease. I can see where total bleaching would be a decision he'd make. My older brother's vitiligo is shocking to see & it progressed so rapidly.

 

[PMAN312]

online and little erin,

why do you guys say to use SUNBLOCK instead of SUNSCREEN...what are the reasons you should use sunblock instead of sunscreen?

 

[ondine]

Some people use these terms interchangably. Sunblocks tend to block out more of the sun's rays.