Severe Hyper Pigmentation

Dec 25, 2016

Christa F.

I have really bad hyper pigmentation on my skin. I scar incredibly easily all over my body, but especially my face. I don't pick me skin, yet I always get purple / red pigment. I also have very sensitive skin. As of right now I am on accutane to clear what's left of my acne ( almost 4 months in ), and I won't dare think of treating my hyper pigmentation while still on the accutane, but would like to know what to try once I'm done. Any suggestions are very welcome. Thank you!

Dec 25, 2016

Christa F.

my*

Dec 25, 2016

Leuca S.

I think we covered in a previous thread that you don't like salicylic acid products, but I would still recommend giving them a shot. Formulations across the market vary widely, and most of them contain extremely irritating ingredients that are likely traumatizing to sensitive skin like yours, but a low % salicylic acid with the correct PH can actually help sensitive skin. 99% of the time I've seen what people have tried in the past I can only cringe because they're laden with fragrance, alcohol, or the PH is too low/high. Way back in the day I thought salicylic acid did nothing for me until I tried a well formulated one; then I never looked back. I really can't stress enough how much I love the Paula's Choice line of products for their exfoliants; they even offer 1% SA formulas with extra soothing ingredients for rosacea prone people and their return policy means you can patch test on the side of of your neck for a week or two to see if you really just cannot tolerate SA as an ingredient.

If the Accutane successfully addresses your acne, I can at least recommend something like glycolic or lactic acid products. Brands like Olay, Alpha Skincare, Drunk Elephant, Paula's Choice, etc. all make alpha hydroxy acid products.

Chemical exfoliation is an extremely useful step to having when addressing discoloration as it stimulates new skin cells while helping your old ones shed.

Also very useful are products containing Vitamin C and Niacinamide. In higher %'s these are powerful inhibitors of excessive melanin production (what your skin essentially does when it creates red/purple/brown marks after being wounded). For sensitive skin I recommend using Vitamin C at night and Niacinamide during the day if you are using L-Ascorbic acid as your Vitamin C, otherwise you can use them when you want.

Sun protection is vital, because sun damage increases your skin's production of pigment. For sensitive skin look into mineral-based sunscreens.

Dec 25, 2016

Christa F.

Do you know if Ole Henrickson vitamin c serum is good?? thank you for so much information love!! very helpful.

Dec 25, 2016

Leuca S.

It's not bad per se, but not something I'd recommend esp. for the price point when there are better things out there for the money. Too much fragrance, too much reliance on one class of ingredient to be 50$ for a single ounce of product. If you have sensitive skin it's something I'd steer clear of, as it contains a few citrus extracts that can interact with the sun and irritate/damage the skin, as well as added fragrance, which is never something you need esp. on top of the aforementioned issue. The packaging also looks questionable as it's completely transparent and I there doubt it has any UV filtering protection from the bottle, which is useful for Vitamin C products.

A brand called The Ordinary (under parent co. Deciem) recently exploded and has basically created a line focused on ingredients people focus on and put them in simple, affordable formulas at effective concentrations. These may be worth looking into and I can say from experience that their customer service has been stellar when I've had questions.

I haven't delved into their Vitamin C products yet as I have some I need to burn through, so for now I can't recommend them from personal experience, but their science is accurate for the most part from what I can tell.

Right now I'm using this as a Vitamin C booster at night and have noticed a marked improvement in some hyperpigmentation I have from a about of contact dermatitis a few months ago. Keep in mind that products like this in a dropper should be used in about 3 months or less because Vitamin C is typically quite unstable in its L-Ascorbic acid form, though this is understood as one of the most potent forms of the vitamin.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TVUDUP2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dec 25, 2016

Leuca S.

Normally I don't recommend super high priced products just out of principle, but Drunk Elephant has some great formulas in airtight packaging that can be useful for the person who wants effective skincare but doesn't need it daily. Their Vitamin C serum is 90$, but also has a shelf life of almost two years, so if you know you cannot tolerate high% actives very often, it can be of some benefit to have a product that is designed a bit differently than your typical booster.

Dec 26, 2016

Christa F.

Thank you Leuca!! You are incredibly helpful! Thanks again, means the world.

Dec 26, 2016

Feroza A.

Ask your dermatologist about this regime, I had to use it when a Jessner peel went horribly wrong and I developed Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. I used hydroquinine cream on the dark spots, like you, I scar very easily, touch me it seams and I will scar, it's depressing. I never had really bad acne but it left some scars hence the Jessner peel. The cream I used under MD's orders for less than 4 months, which is fine because it is controversial. My skin is really even now, another product she recommended is by Rodin and Fields for pigmentation after 4months. Hope this helps.

Dec 27, 2016

Lisa W.

I've heard some great things about drunk elephant the only downfall is the price point