hello to melasma friends!!!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:45 pm

bethany wrote:

Here is my current routine - I am going to continue this through the end of the year:

AM
Vivite Vibrance mixed with Obagi C-Rx with 4% HQ
ZO Daily Power Defense (when I remember)
ZO Oclipse

PM
ZO Radical Night Repair or Retin A
ZO Growth Factor Serum

Just when I see some improvement, I mess things up. Rolling Eyes

I decided to try and kick my pigmentation loss up a notch by adding the Nu-Derm Clear back in, and applied it 3 evenings in a row....baaaad choice. I am now back to having a red, raw face. Sad

That is some strong stuff!

I am going back on the routine I have posted above, and will use the Nu Derm Clear 2-3x a week max, but NOT in a row since that seems to cause too many problems for me.

free skin care · Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:55 am

That's too bad, Bethany. What are you using for the time being until your face heals?

My personal opinion, I really think you should stick with the Vivite. You have been on that the longest and that would seem to be causing all your improvements. I don't think the C-RX would have a chance to work yet, as you have only been on that for 1-2 weeks, so not long enough to make any difference to your skin yet. You definitely have had major improvement from the Vivite!

free skin care · Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:00 am

rileygirl wrote:

That's too bad, Bethany. What are you using for the time being until your face heals?

My personal opinion, I really think you should stick with the Vivite. You have been on that the longest and that would seem to be causing all your improvements. I don't think the C-RX would have a chance to work yet, as you have only been on that for 1-2 weeks, so not long enough to make any difference to your skin yet. You definitely have had major improvement from the Vivite!

I used just the ZO Overnight Recovery Creme for 2 days, and things are back to normal.

I think you are totally right about sticking with the Vivite. I am going to use the Blender and Clear each once a week (since I have them), but no more than that...and that is just to help kick the old skin out the door.

The Obagi C-Rx may get kicked out soon though...I am breaking out majorly at the moment in new areas. They could be hormonal (though they are usually earlier in timing) so I am going to give it a few more weeks. But if the breakouts don't go away, it will be gone!

free skin care · Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:43 am

That's a pooper about the breakouts, Bethany. Are they improving?

free skin care · Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:30 am

rileygirl wrote:

That's a pooper about the breakouts, Bethany. Are they improving?

As of today....yes. Tomorrow...who knows! Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:10 pm

bethany wrote:

Just when I see some improvement, I mess things up. Rolling Eyes

I decided to try and kick my pigmentation loss up a notch by adding the Nu-Derm Clear back in, and applied it 3 evenings in a row....baaaad choice. I am now back to having a red, raw face. Sad

That is some strong stuff!

Okay, Bethany - I can empathize - I did just the same this evening. Getting ready before going to a party. Noticed a patch on my cheek was kind of dry and flaky. (Obagi fun!) One thing led to another - at one point, involving waaaaayyy to much enthusiasm and Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion - and voila! Now I have a nice, red, raw spot on my face...

Sheesh... When *will* I learn??

free skin care · Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:45 am

taobunny wrote:

Okay, Bethany - I can empathize - I did just the same this evening. Getting ready before going to a party. Noticed a patch on my cheek was kind of dry and flaky. (Obagi fun!) One thing led to another - at one point, involving waaaaayyy to much enthusiasm and Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion - and voila! Now I have a nice, red, raw spot on my face...

Sheesh... When *will* I learn??

If you're like me, that might be *NEVER*. Laughing

One of our 2009 goals should be: "I will NOT overdo it, and treat my skin like I resurfacing a road." Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:38 am

Cross posting from another thread...

Quote:

5/15/08 (ignore the zit)

11/27/08 - I look pinker from using either Retin A or a retinol product every day now, but I can see that my baseline spot (right in front of the ear) has faded a bit.

12/14 - I took pics in slightly different light...same room, just facing in different directions (both natural light, no flash, no makeup). It's amazing how harsh some lighting can be. But I really don't see much additional difference yet, even though I added the Obagai C-Rx to the mix.

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:35 am

OMG Beth! .. Shock

Here are the changes I notice overall;

** All discoloration is gone

** Your pores are very refined + I can barely see them

** Your skin looks radiant, gorgeous + smooth

Now lets talk about the other stuff I'm seeing; Shock

** Look at picture 2 + 4. Your upper eye lid in 4 looks very tight and lifted

** Now if you compare 1 + 4, the discoloration under your eye is gone, and the whole area looks tight and firm

** Your jawline + cheek is much more defined in picture #4

** The slight NL fold that you had in the first 3 pictures, has filled in in #4

Overall I think you look fantastic! Now I want to know when "Your" book is coming out .. Dancing

You go girl!

ETA: Your eyes are gorgeous!

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:07 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

** Look at picture 2 + 4. Your upper eye lid in 4 looks very tight and lifted

** The slight NL fold that you had in the first 3 pictures, has filled in in #4

Thanks Kassy! Very Happy

Just an FYI...pic 3 and 4 were both taken today, I just turned a different direction and thought it was interesting to see the different that lighting can make.

But you are totally right about the eyes....I hadn't noticed that at all! I would say that change is definitely from the Ageless exercises. Yet more incentive for me to keep doing them!! Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:33 pm

I see what you mean about the lighting.. It does make a difference..

But there is still a major difference to my eyes.

And OMG, those bloody exercises are really kicking in.. I have got to make the time to really have at it. Especially now that LL has given us the video.. (Can you believe the cheeks on that woman?...Gorgeous!)

Beth, how do you get such great pictures.. When I use the zoom flower thing, my face looks like I'm looking in a fun house mirror ... Shock

I'm hopeless in so many respects ... Sad

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:47 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

Beth, how do you get such great pictures.. When I use the zoom flower thing, my face looks like I'm looking in a fun house mirror ... Shock

I'm hopeless in so many respects ... Sad

I am using the flower (macro) setting, no flash (washes me out) and no additional zoom. I have a Canon Powershot SD750. I just hold it out away and shoot/look/adjust position/shoot/look/adjust position/etc. until I get it right. Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:13 pm

bethany wrote:

Kassy_A wrote:

Beth, how do you get such great pictures.. When I use the zoom flower thing, my face looks like I'm looking in a fun house mirror ... Shock

I'm hopeless in so many respects ... Sad

I am using the flower (macro) setting, no flash (washes me out) and no additional zoom. I have a Canon Powershot SD750. I just hold it out away and shoot/look/adjust position/shoot/look/adjust position/etc. until I get it right. Very Happy

I have the Canon Power Shot 550. I don't see anything to cut the flash off though.. Rolling Eyes

Argghhh! I'm so inept at this.. Crying or Very sad

One day when I was downloading pics from Thanksgiving, they were in video, and I didn't even know it had that function.. Embarassed

I'm hopeless I tell ya .. Laughing

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:45 pm

Looks great, Bethany! I would say your discoloration is like 99% gone! The Vivite seems to have worked really well for you!

free skin care · Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:32 pm

rileygirl wrote:

Looks great, Bethany! I would say your discoloration is like 99% gone! The Vivite seems to have worked really well for you!

I am definitely going to keep using it...I'll keep using the Obagi C-Rx until it's gone, but I am not sure I will buy another bottle unless any spots start reappearing while I am still on the Vivite.

free skin care · Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:38 am

Great pics, bethany. THanks for sharing! I saw that your skin was very clear in the last 2 pics. What was your skin discoloration from? Was it rosacea?

free skin care · Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:09 am

Bira wrote:

Great pics, bethany. THanks for sharing! I saw that your skin was very clear in the last 2 pics. What was your skin discoloration from? Was it rosacea?

No...just sun damage from cooking myself in the Florida sun until I was 23. Embarassed

free skin care · Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:43 pm

Count me in guys, ahhh melasma... I get a handle on it every year, then spring and summer arrive. I found a big problem for me is driving in the car, the UV comes right in the windows and I get it on my jawline! Still haven't found anything that really tackles it more than glyquin types with the hydroquinone, using Epidermx II has made a big difference for me. My skin is lighter and the tone evens right out.

Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:40 pm

Hello everyone! I am a new member here, thank goodness for forums! I have melasma and I've been using obagi nu derm blender and retin-a since last december, but i haven't been diligent with it b/c i get scared when my spots get all pink/red and i start peeling! i hate going in to work like that so i was never really religious about using it. plus the hydroquinone thins my skin. after reading these posts however, i will use it more often and hopefully my results will be better!

just a question, has anyone tried using a few drops of liquorice extract with their moisturizer? just wondering... i bought some at wholefoods the other day and will give it a try since i hear it is a good alternative to people who are sensitive to hydroquinone.

free skin care · Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:44 pm

Spotted Dragon wrote:

Hello everyone! I am a new member here, thank goodness for forums! I have melasma and I've been using obagi nu derm blender and retin-a since last december, but i haven't been diligent with it b/c i get scared when my spots get all pink/red and i start peeling! i hate going in to work like that so i was never really religious about using it. plus the hydroquinone thins my skin. after reading these posts however, i will use it more often and hopefully my results will be better!

Hi there, and welcome to EDS!

If you are not into being pink/red and scaly, NuDerm is NOT for you! (or me either, lol) There are other options...

- If you want to stay with an HQ solution, the Obagi C-Rx Clarifying Serum is very easy to use...no peeling, etc. You might not get the same degree of results as quickly as NuDerm, but it might help you use it more regularly.

- I used Vivite Vibrance in the pics above...it uses a pigmentation suppressor that works very differently than HQ, plus a glycolic acid that has lower irritation for exfoliation. This performed just as well as HQ in some company-sponsored clinicals. The same active of methyl something or other can also be found in the Priori and True lines (the Priori line does have ONE option with that and NO ibedenone in it)...all 3 lines are made by Allergan.

- The Nia24 line uses a type of niacin to suppress pigmentation, and has had some very impressive results for people here at EDS (I am trying it now too). Here is a link to their before and after pics on their site:
http://www.nia24.com/science/before_after.cfm

- The new Skinceuticals Phloretin CF also focuses on pigmentation.
http://www.skinceuticals.com/_us/_en/catalog/prevent/Phloretin-CF.htm

Obviously, Obagi NuDerm is the gold standard for getting rid of pigmentation, but I personally could not use it...it was just too harsh. So I am using a combination of less brutal options to get me where I want to be.

At the end of the day, it comes down to finding something YOU can tolerate and use regularly....and X months of using a potentially weaker option will most likely yield better results than X months of doing nothing. Very Happy

free skin care · Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:46 pm

FYI...here is the Priori product with the Methyl stuff AND no idebenone (which gives me and Nibn hives Very Happy

)...it uses coffeeberry instead.

They carry it here at EDS, but do not include the ingredients, so I am posting another link as well.

PRIORI Brightening Face Complex

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/priori-coffeeberry-bright-p_9177.htm

http://skincarerx.com/PRIORI-Brightening-Face-Complex.html

Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:30 am

Thanks for the advice Bethany! To tell you the truth I've done tons and tons of research on melasma but I've never heard of Nia24 and I've recently seen posts on Vivite Vibrance. I have a feeling Nia24 is for people with sun damage, I have melasma which doesn't go away as easily as sun damage. I religiously stay out of the sun and wear a zinc based spf all the time. I would really like to give Vivite a try, but I have almost an entire bottle of NuDerm left!

How long did it take you to see results from Vivite? I'm so suspicious of trying new products because i've literally spent THOUSANDS of dollars on products that have all failed me. I'm on the verge of giving up. Any info from people who suffer from melasma would be greatly appreciated! Thanks...

free skin care · Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:32 pm

Please help-I am starting Obagi and I have a couple of questions. What strengh of Retin A will work-.05%?? Also, renova breaks me out-should I ask for retin A or the micro retin a? Thanks!

free skin care · Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:40 pm

Spotted Dragon wrote:

Thanks for the advice Bethany! To tell you the truth I've done tons and tons of research on melasma but I've never heard of Nia24 and I've recently seen posts on Vivite Vibrance. I have a feeling Nia24 is for people with sun damage, I have melasma which doesn't go away as easily as sun damage. I religiously stay out of the sun and wear a zinc based spf all the time. I would really like to give Vivite a try, but I have almost an entire bottle of NuDerm left!

How long did it take you to see results from Vivite? I'm so suspicious of trying new products because i've literally spent THOUSANDS of dollars on products that have all failed me. I'm on the verge of giving up. Any info from people who suffer from melasma would be greatly appreciated! Thanks...

Spot, I have "diffuse melasma"...they really aren't sure if it is due to sun or hormones. I have tried everything including 4 Fraxel treatments, which I think may have cooked it right on in there any made it even harder to remove. Rolling Eyes

I started the Vivite Vibrance on 10/28, and saw some improvement within a month.

As far as Nia24...you are correct that it does say sun damage. However, it inhibits pigmentation, and melasma ultimately is pigmentation. I figure if I hit the pigmentation production from multiple angles (with actives that work in different ways) and shut that down, hopefully I can at least keep it from getting worse, sigh.

free skin care · Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:45 pm

Janie wrote:

Please help-I am starting Obagi and I have a couple of questions. What strengh of Retin A will work-.05%?? Also, renova breaks me out-should I ask for retin A or the micro retin a? Thanks!

I answered this on the separate thread you started.

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.