Cure for Melasma _{Page 6 of 12}

Rosalinda: I know exactly how you feel. We both think about it every second of the day and especially when we are talking to people. All you can think of is what they are thinking when they are tlaking to us. It is indeed a tough thing to deal with. When you suggest taking a probiotic, can you be more specific? Thanks. Do keep us posted on your progress! :)

hi tbwjordan,

don't let melasma stop you from having a beautiful baby cause i can tell you it is soooo.. worth it!
i had my melasma under control in the summer of 2008, i was extra careful all summer because my wedding was at the end of it - in early september. it was there but with makeup it really wasn't visible. i got pregnant at the end of nov/beginning of dec, throughout the winter my melasma wasn't too bad at all. i went to hawaii when i was 5 months pregnant in the spring and even though i wore 60 spf on my face and wore a hat - my melasma darkened quite a bit. when i came home it was starting to warm up and then summer hit and it was tough. i think for me it was a combination of being pregnant and just the fact that it was summer and hard to avoid the sun completely. but it is a fact that melasma generally gets worse when you are pregnant - that's why they call it the mask of pregnancy.
once again summer is almost here and my melasma is still around, with makeup on it isn't too bad but i know it's there and i feel like it is noticeable. i am still breast feeding and am wondering if this could be making it worse? don't know but i am not going to stop breastfeeding for melasma as much as i want it to go away, i want to do what's best for my daughter. when she is 1 year i will probably stop breast feeding.
i see my doctor on april 8th and am going to ask him if it is okay to take msm, vit c and cod liver oil to treat melasma. i think msm is the one that might not be ok - but i am crossing my fingers that it is okay cause i bought everything already and am so excited to try it and i just hope it works.
don't let melasma discourage you from getting pregnant.. i can tell you that when you hold your baby in your arms for the first time it will all be worth it. i have found a great concealer that works well - it is vichy, dermablend - it is for hiding pigmentation disorders like ours. you can get it at london drugs or shoppers drug mart.
good luck! keep us posted - let us know when you get pregnant!! xo

dear finally,

i have an 8 month old daughter and i saw that you just had your 3rd child. i am wondering if you know if iti s okay to take msm, vitmain c and cod liver oil while breast feeding? i am sure vit c and cod liver oil are ok but my bottle of msm says not to take it if you are breastfeeding. i see my doc in a week and will talk to him but i just thought you might have some info.
also wondering if your melasma got worse with every pregnancy and if it faded in between at all?

lavida: Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! I can only imagine holding a baby in my arms it will be So worth it! Like you, wearing a a hat and SPF in Antigua, it didn't help as much as I wanted it to. I live in s state where it is always sunny and HOT. I'm not looking forward to summer. I'm always thinking people are staring at my melasma when they talk to me. I'm constantly thinking about it. If I am this stressed, it could be worse after I am pregnant. It is bad as it is...can I deal with it after pregnancy? It'll be interesting. I've stopped taking MSM because it is not recommended before and during pregnancy. Hope the doctor can give you good news and let you take MSM. The other thing..I never wore makeup in my life and I've tried Bare Minerals several times and it didn't help. I'll check out the concealer...thanks! Haha! I will let you guys know! :) Can we correspond via email?

more info for you guys:

before my wedding when i had my melasma under control - see photo, i had some small patches: upper lip, cheeks and forehead - but easily covered with makeup.
i stuck to a regime for my skin for 4 months, every night i used neostrata smoothing cream level 3 ( if u have sensitive skin use level 1 or 2)
and a perscription cream from my dermatologist called Clindoxyl. i would put the cream on let it soak in for 15 min then apply the Clindoxyl.
i never thought about it until now but maybe this combination was what worked?! i was using the Clindoxyl for acne cause i wanted to have really clear skin for my wedding. but it makes your skin peel a bit which may have helped with the melasma.
i can't use Clindoxyl right now cause i am breast feeding. might work for some of you.

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yes, tbwjordan - you can email me .... thats funny - it won't let me leave my email address!

lavida- Wow, such a beautiful picture of you! I can't even tell you have melasma. Not at all! If I were to send you a picture, you can clearly see it...looks like a mustache. Yours...can't even see it! :) Thanks for sharing your regimen and sounds like it has helped keep your melasma under control. :) I believe you have to go into your account and post your email address. Mine should be posted if you click on my profile.

awww... thanks tbwjordan,

in the photo almost 2 years ago - i did have the melasma under control. but it is much more noticeable now. makeup does help to hide it but it isn't a nice feeling to have to wear so much makeup to hide it. i want it gone!
the only person who really sees me without makeup is my husband - and he is really sweet, he doesn't care and he thinks i am beautiful even when i don't.
we will get to the bottom of melasma and get it out of our lives for good!

Lavida: Sorry no info. I did not take any of MSM or cod liver oil supplements while breastfeeding. I just started taking them about 3 weeks ago. And my melasema started about 5 years ago, AFTER my first 2 were born (I have a 12, 10 and 1 year old). Now it did fade a little after I quit breastfeeding. Sorry I couldn't help more.

hayday and hatethis:
I will have to get back to you guys on the name of the peel and laser treatments. My skin lady/friend is at a seminar in FLA. I will text her and get back to you when she gets back to me. :)

Lavida: Gorgeous picture..don't notice your melasma at all. I understand about the makeup issue. I never really wore makeup and I hate the fact that I have to put it on everyday now to conceal my melasma. Funny, my husband is great to...its great to have that support.

tbwjordan: I can so relate to your trip to the carribean. I went to Mexico in December and was so nervous about the sun and tried to avoid it...it got me so stressed and sick...I just came back from FL (Disney) last week and I said to myself to just have fun and relax. We took our 4 & 16 yr old girls and I had a great time. I actually didn't stress about it and wore my Cotz 60SPF and allowed myself to sit in shady places while waiting.

Finally: Thanks, look forward to hearing of the peel you are using.

I just want to say it is so nice to know that there are other people going through the same thing as me...b/c i have to say at times it feels like i am the only person who has this problem. The support and words from everyone is awesome!

i just found this info about msm:

Potential side effects of using MSM

Potential side effects from using MSM include: diarrhea, stomach upsets and even mild cramps. It has also been suggested that if you are going to ingest MSM that you should consult with a physician in order that he or she monitor your blood, liver function and kidneys on a regular basis. Also, if you take heparin or any other blood thinning product or if you use aspirin MSM may cause some blood thinning.

lavida: I know it has to be hard to have to wear so much makeup to at least mask the melasma. Do you wear just the concealer? Mind me because I have never really wore nor know how to put makeup on. :) Same here..my fiancee looks beyond the melasma. Why is it hard for us to accept that? I'm glad you have such a positive attitude about getting rid of melasma. :)

hatethis07: It is stressful and hard to be able to relax and have fun on a trip. Especially to where it is hot and sunny. It has been hard adjusting to having to wear sunscreen and a hat. It has been years that I have never had to worry about wearing a hat. Definitely a lifestyle change. I'm glad you had fun on your Florida trip. :) My trip to Antigua was nice but stressful. It isn't only about wearing a hat and sunscreen, it is having people stare or notice your melasma. I've read that stress can make the melasma worse.

Okay...laser my friend got was called an ipl. And as for the peels, I have had several and she can't recall exactly which ones I have had and which ones were successful w/o her 'book'. All I know is she uses Danne and Image products. Hope that helped a little.

On another note: I am going to FLA in July.

1. What sunblock does everyone prefer to use that doesn't make you greasy or breakout?

2. And make up that will cover and not 'slide' off my face while sweating???

Finally: I use COTZ 60 or 65 SPF: it is only made of titanium and zinc...when putting on you just have to make sure you rub it in well. I really like it and have been using it for about 3 years. As far as makeup, I use the vichy dermablend and then bare minerals....not a big make up person so less is best for me and I feel that the bare minerals is very light.
Also, thanks for the peel info...though check out the VI peel they are really good.


tbwjordan: I read stress can make it worse too. It is such a nuisance i swear!! I was one to always be in the sun having fun, coaching soccer, playing sports, etc. Now it's like a 180 degree turnaround. I can relate to the thinking people are staring at us (which they probably arent). Unfortunately, we are our worst critics!

dear finally -

best sunscreen:

-must block both uva & uvb, broad sprectrum. my dermatologist recommended neutrogena 60 spf w/helioplex. it is non- comenogenic which means it won't clog pores. i also like vichy -they have a good broad spectrum 60 spf.

makeup:

-for foundation i like mac studio fix. they have some desent concealers as well but i use vichy dermablend - it is specifically for pigmentation disorders like ours.

hope that helps.

Thanks everyone! Funny to mention, but I have been looking into the vichy dermablend. GOOD!!!!!! :)

Dear tbwjordan

Please don’t worry about the melasma go ahead with your life and don't allow this tiny problem to stop you living your life in full. Believe me that the stress that we all put ourselves through does make melasma worse because the body is not strong enough to fight the problems. The stress is known to encourage even cancer and we all know that. Do your best and God will do the rest. To all the ladies here that want to have msm during breast feeding please don’t because whatever you eat when you are pregnant or breastfeeding does make the baby depend and need this supplement all their life. Regarding the probiotic you are asking about I suggest it to everyone. It's no point to eat good nutritionous food if the body doesn't know them. I suggest you to go in a health store and get a really good one. Antioxidants act as 'free radical scavengers' and help prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage. Again go and buy a good one with high antioxidant properties. Drink loads of water and try and detox your body with herbal pills every four months liver and kidneys. Please eat only unprocessed food cook from scratch and use organic if possible.
This will definitely make a difference because it has done so for me my melasma is a lot softer. I am so pleased because I've suffered for so long more than ten years now and only God knows my pain.

hatethis07: You are probably right...people are not staring at us. And, I hope you are right they are not staring at us. With a hat on, you can see the melasma more because of the lighting. Certain lightings make melasma stand out more. You are right, we are our own worst critics!

Rosalinda: Thank you so much for being supportive. I'm trying really hard to not allow melasma to control my life. I feel like I am doing my best. It also feels like I am not doing enough because I'm not seeing any improvements. I see it worsening as days go by. The probotics and antixiodants..are they in pill form? If yes, can you suggest certain ones? I'm so happy your melasma has soften up due to you making lifestyle and diet changes. We all share the same pain and am happy we have this forum to remind each other we are not the only ones suffering from this skin condition.

Ugh! I used to spend hours searching the web for melasma help. Odd I never came across this before. Anyway, over the winter is was much better. Now, with summer near, it' gotten MUCh worse, quickly! I HATE it! It's like scars all over my face or something. Yes, the leopard skin look. I use UV Natural,a natural, physical sunblock AND put Jane Iredale powder sunblock on top, which I reapply about 1x hour when I'm out on a long walk. STILL isn't helping. I hate hats, and I walk on the coast where it's usually too windy anyway. Can't keep a hat on.
I tried the MSM, but it caused me horrible insomnia. I tried it for a week or so, and literally could not sleep, not even with Benadryl or Ambien. SO had to stop that. DIdn't see any difference during the week I took it, either. Don't know what else to try. I already take a huge handful of supplements everyday, including at least 2000mg of Vit.C w/flavonoids, B complex, A, Resveratrol, and oh-so-many more. Somehow I thought it was better, but I guess that was winter. I am interested in try the progesterone cream. I read one post here that claimed great results. However, hormones are NOT something to be messed w/lightly.I also wonder about thyroid issues, also mentioned here. My family has a definite history of thyroid issues.I've also tried Grapefruit seed extract. People should know that GSE is NOT a natural product. If interested, google it. Hydroquinone is also not an option I tried briefly, but saw no change and swear it caused darkening. Not to mention the link to cancer. I LOVE to be outside. I love the sun. But I can't stand this creepy skin that makes me look much older than I am.
It's so frustrating, as doctors just shrug their shoulders and say it's cosmetic. So is acne, but there is a TON of remedies and medical help for that! I see a holistic Dr.and a regular allopath, and neither has ideas to help.
I wish I could try the MSM again, but already have such a problem with insomnia, anything that exacerbates is too much.
*sigh* Sorry for the long rant. If anyone has AMAZING results (no ads, please!) using something I haven't mentioned, please let me know. More testimonials about progesterone would be of particular interest.
Thank!

i spoke to my doctor on thursday about my melasma. he told it will likely worsen with my next pregnancy. that sucks!
he also said 'hey, you are an attractive women if melasma is your biggest problem then oh well!'
i get his point but it is still an embarrassing problem, especially my upper lip being dark. i know what he means, i am not dyeing of cancer but it still sucks to live with it and be afraid of the sun - which i love.

Melasmasux:
My African American GF told me about two products to try a mo. ago; Palmer's Skin Success soap and lightner cream and Ambisoap and lightner cream (both I have found at the dollar store - $7.00 total). I have been using the Plamer's and what a difference. My sister is now using it, too. I am also taking MSM, Vit. C and Omga 3 oils. Other than that, I have seen a HUGE difference in my face. Hope that helps.

Lavida: My upper lip use to be dark and I did a laser treatment on it (I can find out if you want to know specifically which one)....not only did it lighten it but it also removed all the hair. I had this done about 5 years ago and knock on wood still ok. I put sunscreen on my face everyday. I understand the pregnancy issue...I developed melasama w/my 3rd child on my cheeks and forehead and it does suck. It is very embarassing as we feel that is the only thing that people look at. I was told it would fade after I had her but she is now 4yrs old and it hasn't faded. It does limit your time in the sun and am too afraid of the sun - which i love too. It does suck and is constantly on your mind. Hang in there!! We will find something that works soon!!

Hi Hatethis07...I am interested in finding out the specific laser treatment that you had. I have read every post on this forum and am so sorry for all of us who suffer with melasma. However, I am relieved to know that I am not alone. My melasma (located on my upper lip) became evident 2 months ago after a vacation in Florida. I swear my face was clear one minute and melasma ridden the next. It has been the most horrifying ordeal and I pray that I can get control of it quickly. I have never experienced such anxiety than I have with an extremely poor self-image. I can not stand to look at myself in the mirror~it's all I can see and I feel like it's destroying my spirit. I have an appointment with a derm in 3 weeks, getting an appointment as soon as possible has been a battle. After reading all the posts I am anxious to start on the supplements. I have been using Meladerm lotion on the spots for almost 2 weeks along with a 60 spf sunscreen and have seen little if any improvement. I am so scared to try anything that could potentially make my condition worse. I am open to any suggestion that you all have and, am so grateful to have found a supportive/understanding group of people!