Ok... This is my first time creating a post and I never wrote a comment under any reviews.... But I'm ready to open up to help someone and maybe someone could help me as well...
Well I am 31yr old black female... My acne and oily skin started 4yrs ago when I was pregnant 2011. After my pregnancy I had the mirana inserted and that's when the acne got worse. Well at the time I tried a few things but I wasn't patient even with the differen I can't remember the strength but I do remember my skin was peeling like crazy which was a good thing but I stopped using it for some reason.
3yrs later 2014 I had the mirana removed and which then I notice I wasn't breaking out as much and I lose a little weight. But at this point my entire face is completely scared.... I tried anything that had hydroquinone in it, clinique dark spot corrector, proactive dark spot corrector, and nothing was removing my dark spots. Ok let me back up just a little....
In between these times I'm trying out every makeup to cover these marks and no one including mac could match my tone.. I'm like maybe the same complexion as Beyonce (I don't look like her just giving u an idea of my complexion) makeup artist was putting makeup on my face for a person the same complexion as Kelly... Smh... My scars has caused my face to get a little dark but not that dark and no matter where I go no one still to this day can match my tone (frustrating)...
Ok back to the scars.. So January of this year I looked into getting chemical peels I read so many reviews that made me believe this was going to work. I had the 6%Tca peel nothing happened, the Jeesner peel nothing happened, I also purchased Pca face wash, toner, and moisturizer it works ok but to me the moisturizer alone worked the best, and last peel the Perfect peel my skin was shedding like a snake... I was told it takes 8 days to completely peel but my face was completely peeled by the 4th day.
After my face healed I didn't notice much difference but I was told it's going to take 4 or 5 to notice a difference. Well I went back 4 weeks later and this time my face would not peel at all I called the person who applied the peel and she couldn't really help me... She seem to not care so I called the Perfect peel company and they said it may not peel the second time like your first time. So I was upset and frustrated those peels are $200 a peel and now they telling me I may not peel like the first time. The lady who applied the peel said I should get a booster which would be $50 more smh absolutely not.
My sister gave me a Benzoyl peroxide wash and the little breakouts I had stopped immediately... So I made a appointment with a dermatologist she gave me spironolactone 100mg once a day, 4% hydroquinone twice a day, .025% Tretinoin, the Tretinoin I believe she should have given me a much stronger dosage because I do not have no peeling or nothing I was thinking to apply it twice a day instead of once at night, and I still use the Benzoyl peroxide wash I've been on these products for 3wks now and I haven't noticed a difference at all. I have read reviews about being patient and this time I will try my very best to be patient... It's hard for a person in this situation to be patient..
I don't feel pretty no more, I cry just about every night, I hide in the house, I purposely do not sign up for work because I'm ashamed. The looks and stares I get because now I'm labeled different. I have walked into makeup places and no one really wants to touch me they give me this eww look... Not knowing they are making me feel worse than I felt when I walked in. People on my job look and whisper about me... Because I'm different. I feel sooo ugly. I never felt this way.. Before my last child I was very pretty but with the severe scaring you could never tell. I pray every day for peace and healing... And I believe that God is going to work this situation out and my face will be completely healed and I will never have to go through this again.
well chin up...sounds like you have a lot of hyperpigmentation(dark spots) versus scars?
sounds like you are doing all the right things, ie the hydroquinone at 4%....just takes a while to work
so you need to find a cover that works...I LOVE mineral make-up- you may need to mix a few powders to get your exact match, but they blend in well and cover very well....look at Bare minerals or Pure minerals...don't give up, find a shade or mix a shade that works for you
if you find a good concealer that will help you as the marks fade, so make it your mission!!
I know it's hard but you probably need to give the Retin A more time to work, possibly 10-12 weeks before you notice a difference. If you're not getting irritation you could ask your derm to give you a higher strength. Or you could incorporate an AHA, using that in the morning and the Retin A in the evening.
I think if you found the right makeup it would help your self-confidence in going out. Do you have a Sephora near you? They sell makeup that is meant to cover most anything and are trained to match your skin tone. They can probably even mix tones to customize the right color for you.
Thanks Pinkberry and Msrobinson I really appreciate your help.... I have tried just about every makeup. Bare minerals makes me look too red and the tone under that is not my tone at all. I have been to Sephora, Ulta, Mac, Department stores like Macys, Dillards, and Belks and it seems like they only match me in dark tones and I believe it's because they are focus on covering the mark and not matching or evening out my tone. Right now I have on Clinique Ginger and it looks a little dark and orange like... I know people looking at me crazy but oh well I don't know what else to do... And yes Pinkberry you right if I could find the right foundation I would feel great and I think I would able to be more patient...
My main concern tho besides finding something to cover the dark marks is how lond does it take for the trention and the 4% hydroquinone to work? will I see a major difference in a few weeks or a few months? I can deal with a few months but not years.... Also I was thinking should I try microdermabrasion as well?
I would suggest you go back to Sephora and tell them exactly what you've said here, that the foundation looks too dark and that it doesn't seem to blend well. Ask for samples before you buy anything so you can try it out at home for a couple days. I think they sell a brand called Cover FX (not sure if that's what it's called) that covers really well. Also, it would probably be good to put your foundation on first to even things out, then use concealer on top of that to cover dark marks.
i myself don't have acne but from all my research it seems their is a connection between acne and dairy.
i suggest why not try an 8 week elimination diet and see if there are any changes.
i have drunk cows milk with my cereal here in the UK since i was a child and never had acne, maybe my body does not react.
Dairy means elimination of all dairy including chocalate and yoghurt.
Cows milk is not what it use to be especially with the added stuff in it.
Personally i don't drink cows milk at all and have not drunk it like i use to for over 2 years