Skin appears darker after a peel!
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free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:47 pm

I just finished doing a retinol peel last week (apeel daily) and for some reason my chin looks way darker than the rest of my face. i can even see the lighter skin ring around my lips in comparison to my skin!

I was careful to cover my face while driving to work and used anthelios SS so i don't know why this is happening.

any thoughts?

Kris

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:00 pm

yikes kris, that is WEIRD! I have no idea why that would be--do you think it is hyperpgimentation????

-- a concerned avalange

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:13 pm

Kris,
My skin will appear darker in the areas where I'm going to peel. Is it possible that is what you're seeing?

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:19 pm

Hm, that concerns me too, but I do know that sometimes when my skin has been too harshly treated and it's going to peel hardcore, it turns a little darker before that top layer comes off. Not sure if I'm describing this well, but it's sort of like when you get a sunburn and peel -- the skin underneath is much paler than the stuff that peels off, at least for me.

So I guess I'm saying I really HOPE it's that, and not something more serious! Shock

Do you have a regular dermatologist you could see?

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:29 pm

I'm not too sure about Anthelios being the best UVA blocker. I recently went to Thailand and took along Anthelios 60 and Citrix 30. Citrix 30 slipped off in the humidity so I used my friend's Shiseido Anessa PA50 which stayed on throughout the day and I didn't tan but when I started using Anthelios I tanned quite dark all over. Even my friend noticed that she didn't tan but I did throughout the trip. We have similar skin tones and use same Lancome foundation colours. So I just borrowed my friend's Anessa.

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:00 pm

I had the same problem with tanning through and developing hyperpigmentation while on Anthelios s/s.

free skin care · Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:53 pm

yikes are you guys serious?
were you applying mineral powder over the top? this can destabilize photoprotectants...

--avalange

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:03 am

Nope didn't use mineral makeup.I just used my Lancome Teint Idole foundation.

Besides Lancome is owned by L'oreal and L'oreal owns La Roche Posay (Anthelios being one of its category) so I imagine what ever chemical ingredients or suppliers they use would probably be the same. Moreover Lancome uses the Merxoryl in their sun care range anyway. But I still tanned nicely golden bronze all over where ever I slathered on Anthelios- I even wore a hat but that didn't stop the tan! Confused

After that experience I have been sceptical about Anthelios being the "best UVA blocker" on the market seeing that Anessa or more accurately zinc oxide sunsreens never caused me to tan when I followed the mfr guideline.

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:10 am

And Anthelios is water resistent as was Anessa PA50. Citrix SPF 30 isn't water resistent. So it can't be that sweat/humidity melted off the Anthelios since I kept reapplying every 2 hours and wore a hat throughout the day.

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:08 am

Avalange, I don't wear any makeup! I have been hearing about this with several different people of late, that the anthelios and the other european sunscreens are having this effects in certain people, meaning tanning through the sunscreen and/or developing new hyperpigmentation with this type of sunscreen. I moved on to zinc based sunscreens, and they keep my skin free from new hyperpigmentation, as well as not tanning my face!

ETA: Kris, what skin tone do you have and what part of the country do you live in?

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:31 pm

avalange - i am not sure what it is, i don't think it's hyperpigmentation, i would be really upset if it was. it seems just my chin is darker, not enough for someone to notice unless i point it out. i didn't happen with the last peel, but then again i wasn't commuting to and from work for an hour each day. i did wear anthelios but used mary's silken pearl primer over it because it read it was ok with the new chemical SS. i even made a point to use a UV fabric shawl to cover my face from direct sunlight.

bluesheart--i am definitely done peeling this week so this has to be something else Crying or Very sad

ginnelizze--i know what you mean about the skin being paler not sure why it's darker now! i don't see a dermatologist and doubt one can help.

LizaA--scary thought. i recently switch to euro chemical SS but bought a new physical, high PDD SS so i am hoping that will be coming. that being said, i think i am done with anthelios.

rileygirl--i am really pale (asian skin) with pink undertones. and i live in southern california.

i am going to email Julie and ask her. at this point, i feel like doing another peel on my chin but i know i have to be patient.

Kris

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:01 pm

Yikes, well good luck, I really hope it's just a temporary thing. Let us know if you figure anything out!

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:03 pm

skincareaddicted wrote:

avalange - i am not sure what it is, i don't think it's hyperpigmentation, i would be really upset if it was. it seems just my chin is darker, not enough for someone to notice unless i point it out. i didn't happen with the last peel, but then again i wasn't commuting to and from work for an hour each day. i did wear anthelios but used mary's silken pearl primer over it because it read it was ok with the new chemical SS. i even made a point to use a UV fabric shawl to cover my face from direct sunlight.

bluesheart--i am definitely done peeling this week so this has to be something else Crying or Very sad

ginnelizze--i know what you mean about the skin being paler not sure why it's darker now! i don't see a dermatologist and doubt one can help.

LizaA--scary thought. i recently switch to euro chemical SS but bought a new physical, high PDD SS so i am hoping that will be coming. that being said, i think i am done with anthelios.

rileygirl--i am really pale (asian skin) with pink undertones. and i live in southern california.

i am going to email Julie and ask her. at this point, i feel like doing another peel on my chin but i know i have to be patient.

Kris

kristen,

i'd hold off on doing another peel right now! i know it is tempting to keep doing them, but i am trying to do around 3-4 per year just to err on the side of caution... since you are about the same age as me, i encourage you to exercise restraint along with me.

maybe copper peptides or a good antioxidant serum would help?

--avalange

Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:07 pm

Maybe it's post inflammatory hyperpigmentation? Asians usually suffer from this as a side effect to peels, dermabrasions, IPL, laser or any other resurfacing treatment. It will go away eventually.

What exactly is the Apeel if you don't mind me asking?

free skin care · Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:36 pm

Hi avalange,

I am not using copper peptides as of yet, but did make a mean concoction comprised skin lightening ingredients last night of seamollient, liquid beta glucans, arbutin, kojic, and wild berry extract. hopefully this will help. simran started a thread saying she noticed she was tanning since switching to a euro chemical SS. i think there might be something to that! i received my new SVR physical SS (with spf 50, PPD 20) from skincare central so let's see if it will also help.

Melona--i don't think it's hyperpigmentation, i think i just got tanned on my chin and my sister noticed my forehead being a bit darker too. it reminds me of my skin in college when i used to walk around campus a lot. apeel is a retinol peel from perfect complexion. if you do a search, many discussions will show up.

Kris

free skin care · Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:12 pm

yeah, this is really nightmarish, the fact that we have to care so much about sunscreen application and yet there is really no good sunscreen out there... i did wear the bioderma ss 50 on the beach this summer for a week and my face was still pretty pale... i applied it religiously, though, like every 2 hours. i think these chemical ss are easy to rub/sweat off, so we have to be careful. that is why i like the little flat rectangular shape of the bioderma, easy to carry around in the slimmest of bags.
i wonder about re-application of physical ss, too--every two hours as well? it would seem that those minerals should degrade after a couple of hours just like the chemicals.
i think you are on the right track, what with the protective clothing and ss together. i wouldn't worry about it so much, and let us all know how the svr ss goes!

--avalange

free skin care · Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:58 pm

I'm not sure, but I believe I read somewhere that titanium dioxide degrades more easily than zinc oxide. Of course, with the fact that they coat all these microparticles now, who knows -- different coatings probably equal different rates of degradation. But I do think that zinc-based sunscreens seem to protect better, and stay put longer. I'm consistently amazed by how well my Devita protects, given how light and non-SS it feels. That's the main reason it's stayed my HG for so long.

free skin care · Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:51 pm

Hi avalange - i don't think physical sunscreens "degrade". from my memory i think they can protect indefinitely if not washed or rubbed off. physical SS use light reflecting particles and stay on top of the skin deflecting light. the chem SS are the ones that are soaked into the skin and absorb uv rays.

ginnlizze - is devita a chem or physical SS?

Kris

free skin care · Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:40 am

skincareaddicted wrote:

Hi avalange - i don't think physical sunscreens "degrade". from my memory i think they can protect indefinitely if not washed or rubbed off. physical SS use light reflecting particles and stay on top of the skin deflecting light. the chem SS are the ones that are soaked into the skin and absorb uv rays.

ginnlizze - is devita a chem or physical SS?

Kris

hi kris,
i think you are confusing degradation with photostability: chemical sunscreens are known to become unstable when exposed to light--the organic compounds break down and then cease to do their job. but inorganic materials shift and move on the skin, and also degrade--think of your titanium dioxide colored sticks when you were a child, or a foundation. I just had the epiphany the other day that physical sunscreens must interact with our skin, which is a living organ, and degrade or at least change throughout the day. I don't think we can assert with confidence that sunscreen of any kind will remain effective on the skin if applied in the morning until you wash it off... I'd honestly count on a two-hour window at best. Obviously you are doing the best thing by applying right before driving and during the peak hours.
my little sister has driven a convertible in southern cali for the last 7 years, no sunscreens (despite my continual exhortations and gifts), and guess what--her skin looks older than mine... so, given that i've experimented during that same time with many different ss, any ss is better than none!

--avalange

free skin care · Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:41 am

Kristen, I think you're right that they don't "degrade" in terms of protection, but I recall reading something recently about how TiO2 does degrade in the sense that it starts to produce free radicals. So I guess I consider that a kind of degrading -- I believe it still offers the same protection, but the free radicals are damaging in much the same way the sun is, so even if it's protecting it's also doing you harm. Not sure if I'm making much sense here, because this is a brand-new concept for me too, but I just thought I'd share. Smile

Maybe someone else can shed more light on that...

And to answer your question, Devita is a zinc-only physical SS, 14% I believe.

free skin care · Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:42 pm

Hi avalange, thanks for all the info. i guess i was confusing the two. now i am worried about using mineral makeup and using titanium dioxide at all! i have received my new tinted SVR SS and am in love really, but it does contain td. what is a girl to do? i know marie veronique's SS only contains zinc oxide. does that known to degrade also? i am so stressed over SS really!

ginnielizz--thanks for the info also. i am befuddled with SS at the moment Embarassed

Kris

p.s. convertibles always worry me! Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:05 am

after peeling I think you must wear good sunscreen everyday

free skin care · Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:34 pm

I agree with Nickiegirl.

free skin care · Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:31 am

i think we're all in agreement about wearing a SS post peel. my problem was that i still tanned even though I used a SS - LRP Anthelios, which is considered a SS with very high SPF and PPD protection.

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