Has anyone gotten rid of melasma?
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free skin care · Sat Sep 01, 2012 5:17 pm

I'd love to know what is working for you all. I never had this until I was exposed to mold, and then my skin took a turn for the worse. I'm ready to try anything and everything!

free skin care · Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:39 pm

I started with lactic acid peels, went to a stronger BHA plus hydroquinone peel, both of which helped a great deal, but when I went to 20% TCA I saw some very good results. You can't see my spots under a layer of foundation now, whereas before they looked like patches of yucky gray.

I'll be doing another series of peels again, but not sure when. Since I can so easily hide them under makeup (which adds sun protection) I'm not in a big hurry to experience the pain and downtime. Yea, TCA hurts!

free skin care · Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:02 pm

Thank you so much for the advice! Do you think that the peels got rid of the pigmentation issue or it would return if you had any sun exposure? Is there any way to tell if the melasma is epidermal or dermal?

I am surprised no one else has responded about things that helped.

free skin care · Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:11 pm

I think you'd have to ask your doctor about the dermal-epidermal thing.

Exposure to mold - I wonder if that's not another thing altogether than what I have. Have you tried taking MSM or using the cream? I hear it has helped some users and I am going to try it soon.

Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:18 pm

I would love to hear some melasma success stories as well!

I'm currently on Obagi per my derm. Fingers crossed.

Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:35 am

I have a spot of melasma on the right side of my face, and I had Fraxel Dual laser treatment done per my dermatologist.

I will say this, it was painful and gave my face a "burned" appearance for about 3 days afterwards, but the result was pretty pleasing.

Google Fraxel Dual for Melasma and you can find more information about it! Good luck!

Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:57 am

I am suffering from melasma and I have been taking homeopathic medicines for the past few years.Melasma is surely curable through hyperpigmentation..............I can tell you through self experience

free skin care · Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:35 am

"Curable through hyperpigmentation" - is hyperpigmentation the word you meant to use?

Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:23 pm

Aparna - curious what homeopathic supplements you are taking, and you've seen some success?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:50 am

Folks,
I'm new to this site but I have to share!

I've had melasma for 4 years. Did everything to it - lasers, peels, hydroquinone, Kligman's formula (all made my melasma worse) (I got some improvement with MSM and vitamins but its was very slow and caused liver issues)

Recently I found this - Milk Thistle (sillymarin) cream. To find out the details of the research You will need to Google "sillymarin cream" " melasma" and New Zealand - see biomed

IT IS WORKING! I'm 2 weeks into the treatment and it has faded substantially. The article says by week 4 ALL patients had got rid of the nasty patches. I got the cream from a compounding pharmacy. They basically compounded milk thistle solution (sillymarin dissolved in alcohol) with Vitamin E cream. I put it on twice a day. I even got the solution which I use as a toner to seed up the process. I am even dermarolling it in (that's how desperate I've become).

I am using Actinica sun cream during the day - this seems to be the most effective, more so than zinc which is healthier but does not protect as well.

I am happy to update and am taking weekly progress photos which I will post once I've figured out how.

I hope this helps someone suffer less than I have ( not to mention save money - the cream cost me $30 and the liquid $20) I have literally spent thousands of dollars trying to rid myself of this terrible affliction.
Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Sat Dec 07, 2013 5:27 am

Quan Yin wrote:

Folks,
I'm new to this site but I have to share!

I've had melasma for 4 years. Did everything to it - lasers, peels, hydroquinone, Kligman's formula (all made my melasma worse) (I got some improvement with MSM and vitamins but its was very slow and caused liver issues)

Recently I found this - Milk Thistle (sillymarin) cream. To find out the details of the research You will need to Google "sillymarin cream" " melasma" and New Zealand - see biomed

IT IS WORKING! I'm 2 weeks into the treatment and it has faded substantially. The article says by week 4 ALL patients had got rid of the nasty patches. I got the cream from a compounding pharmacy. They basically compounded milk thistle solution (sillymarin dissolved in alcohol) with Vitamin E cream. I put it on twice a day. I even got the solution which I use as a toner to seed up the process. I am even dermarolling it in (that's how desperate I've become).

I am using Actinica sun cream during the day - this seems to be the most effective, more so than zinc which is healthier but does not protect as well.

I am happy to update and am taking weekly progress photos which I will post once I've figured out how.

I hope this helps someone suffer less than I have ( not to mention save money - the cream cost me $30 and the liquid $20) I have literally spent thousands of dollars trying to rid myself of this terrible affliction.
Rolling Eyes

Hmmmm...might be worth a try. SkinActives has silymarin:

http://www.skinactives.com/Silymarin.html

Sat Dec 07, 2013 9:05 am

Here's the link that Quan Yin was referring to: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-5945/12/18

Welcome to the forum. Smile

free skin care · Sat Dec 07, 2013 9:31 am

Has Vitamin C helped anyone? It seems to be fading/shrinking the sun spots on my hands. At least I think it's the C. I've been using LED green light for a few weeks, but it seemed to really kick in after I started using a DIY serum.

Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:56 am

I would really like to try Silymarin. If I ordered this from SkinActives, does anyone have any suggestions of what to mix with it? I am pretty clueless as to making homemade creams or serums, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 7:41 am

They sell base creams there - off the top of my head, I can think of two - the Canvas Base Cream and also European cream. You add the active to 4 oz. of cream (I believe it's 4 oz., read the instructions though).

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:41 am

The UV repair cream from Skin Actives, Be Kind Rewind, gets great reviews. Hmm, maybe this will be my winter project.

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:07 am

MyrnaLoy wrote:

The UV repair cream from Skin Actives, Be Kind Rewind, gets great reviews. Hmm, maybe this will be my winter project.

I don't have melasma but used the Be kind rewind cream on some sun spots and unfortunately never saw any difference.

Immacolata- I did see a lightening of some sun spots when I first started using Vit. C but it didn't get rid of them, just made them a little lighter.

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:34 am

Darn it, Cookie, I was afraid of that with the UV cream. How long did you use it?

I had the same experience with C serum. The spots have faded but not enough to thrill me. Back to the drawing board...

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:47 pm

MyrnaLoy wrote:

Darn it, Cookie, I was afraid of that with the UV cream. How long did you use it?

I had the same experience with C serum. The spots have faded but not enough to thrill me. Back to the drawing board...

I used it for around 4 months. Probably not enough time to get rid of a dark mark but I didn't see any lightening of the spot at all so I discontinued using it.

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 2:41 pm

Here is an article I read on Hyperpigmentation where pycnogenol was recommended. It is very informative and gives a number of options for treating various types of pigmentation.

For example, I had not realized that lasers can bad for melasma (heat in general), and that peels are better. Heliocare was also recommended 3x a day.

Hyperpigmentation Disorders & Treatment Options
http://www.epionce.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/08.2011-Dermascope-Hyperpigmentation-Disorders-and-Treatment-Options.pdf

free skin care · Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:58 pm

Dcbroom wrote:

I would really like to try Silymarin. If I ordered this from SkinActives, does anyone have any suggestions of what to mix with it? I am pretty clueless as to making homemade creams or serums, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would also like to do this if anyone can help!

thanks rebecca

free skin care · Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:45 am

Rebecca1 wrote:

Dcbroom wrote:

I would really like to try Silymarin. If I ordered this from SkinActives, does anyone have any suggestions of what to mix with it? I am pretty clueless as to making homemade creams or serums, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would also like to do this if anyone can help!

thanks rebecca

This was on the SkinActives site:

"Each tube is enough for 16 fl oz of cream or lotion at approximately 1% concentration (5 g in 480 mL cream). Use in your favorite cream or add to our Canvas Base Cream or a Sea Kelp Bioferment base."

So I was wrong - it's not 4 oz of cream, it's for 16 oz.

Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:08 am

Immacolata wrote:

Rebecca1 wrote:

Dcbroom wrote:

I would really like to try Silymarin. If I ordered this from SkinActives, does anyone have any suggestions of what to mix with it? I am pretty clueless as to making homemade creams or serums, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would also like to do this if anyone can help!

thanks rebecca

This was on the SkinActives site:

"Each tube is enough for 16 fl oz of cream or lotion at approximately 1% concentration (5 g in 480 mL cream). Use in your favorite cream or add to our Canvas Base Cream or a Sea Kelp Bioferment base."

So I was wrong - it's not 4 oz of cream, it's for 16 oz.

Thanks Immacolata! I noticed that also on the SkinActives website. I am just wondering if 1% concentration would be strong enough? Looking at the study from biomedcentral, I can't seem to find the percentage they used to obtain the positive results. Maybe I am just not seeing it? Also, would I just mix the powder with the base? Quan Yin mentioned that they dissolved the silymarin in an alcohol base, is this necessary? Sorry for all the questions!

free skin care · Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:35 am

If I were you I would follow the directions from SkinActives first. You can order more and make it stronger later if you want; it's not expensive so it won't break you!

I believe that it's already dissolved in water since it's at a 1% concentration.

free skin care · Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:10 am

I've had melasma since 2004 and the onset of perimenopause. What a pain in the NECK (and other places) it is to get rid of. At the height of it I was to the point of tears so many times.. Vitamin C did nothing but give me little bumps and cause irritation. Some earlier attempts at peels just irritated it MORE. I've tried every lotion, potion, DIY or otherwise and have had little success (though Nancy's at NCN 5-5-5 lotion was very nice and gentle and I think it brightened my skin somewhat)

The ONLY thing that has absolutely worked for me is Pycnogenol. My melasma is completely gone on the right side of my cheek and slowly but surely has diminished on the left side though you can still see it....but so easy to cover up (I use Illuminare liquid mineral makeup)... Now, could it have been a combo of the Pycnogenol and me finishing up meno these past couple of years? Possibly? Maybe my hormones sort of righted themselves and my skin started to behave again... Not sure... but I do know that after almost 10 years of it, to see it finally go away is wonderful.

Maria Smile

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