Question-don't know what to do
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Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:45 pm

Hi all,

I'm the one who posted about the Porcelena causing me irritation. The irritation went away but the darkening led me to go see a dermatologist about my sudden hyperpigmentation problems. She said it was from the sun but that the melasma on my forehead looked more like it could be from the licorce I was taking for my stomach because it is a plant extract and can affect estrogen levels. She refused to admit that Tazorac really was a culprit or had something to do with it and said I would have gotten the spots anyway. I keep reading however that darkening is possible using the drug. Maybe I'm wrong but my problems came up pretty suddenly and I was getting new marks each morning when using it. Granted I wasn't using high enough protection. My fault. Anyway, I asked her if microdermabrasion would be an option for me and she said she would not go that route. For those who know Dana, she said my derm would say no to it. She was right. My derm instead wants me to use Tri-Luma(of course) just on the spots that really bother me. I used a tiny bit so far on certain spots but I'm very scared to use it. I received the product Epidermx in the mail today but I'm also afraid to try it because I heard so many people say that their melasma and dark spots got worse. Dana says Epidermx is different and unlike any other home use product. I know many do not like HQ either and I am afraid of hypopigmentation (I think I already have it a little bit from using it) and the possiblity it will darken worse down the road. So I'm wondering if maybe I should just live with it and not do anything. Everything I do makes things worse. Any advice from the experts would be so much appreciated! I'm very fair skinned and have combo skin type I think. I break out very easily and since stopping Tazorac have began breaking out once again.

Lori

free skin care · Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:06 pm

Hi,

I was just curious as to what happened when you used Tazorac and how long you have been using it. I use it daily and have not had a problem.

Thank you,

Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:22 pm

Hi,

I was using it every other night for 4 months. I had no problem with darkening March, April or May. I was diligent using sunscreen however I probably wasn't reapplying it enough. I noticed some new freckles during June and on July 4th I went boating. Just a few days after that excursion my face was looking pretty dark and mottled. I wore spf30 and a hat but at one point went tubing and did not reapply the sunscreen afterwards. I don't want to blame Tazorac but I noticed that the areas of where the darkness mainly occurred is where I was peeling from it (my nose and upper cheeks). My doctor also said that Tazorac thins the epidermal layer and so I can only think that it must be very sensitive and prone to any kind of effect from UV including hyperpigmentation. I don't know if Tazorac certainly caused it but I'm pretty suspicous. If I had been more diligent with protection it probably would not have happened.

Hope this helped and good luck. I loved it for acne and my skin looked so great before this darkening. I'm just scared to start up again.

Lori

free skin care · Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:28 pm

Thank you.

It makes sense. But, I am loving it for keeping the acne at bay.

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