So after having beautiful, pretty much flawless skin through high school (mercifully), I started to get adult-onset acne when I was 21, 22. Nothing major, but as it progressively got worse I progressively began to pick at it...and so then the acne itself would get worse, and it was a vicious cycle.
Before I knew it I had a face full of red marks (post-acne macules) that embarrassed me. They tended to fade over time, but it took forrrrrrrrrrrever...and I'm the type of skin that shows every scar for a long time. (I'm pale, but I do tan easily...I'm somewhere between a Skin Type II and III.)
So I decided to do IPL to zap the red marks quickly. Actually, first I was doing microdermabrasion, but that mostly didn't help the pigmentation, just made my pores smaller and smoothed my skin overall.
Then it was recommended I try laser genesis, which I did (like 2-3 times). I saw a marginal improvement but it wasn't worth the money.
Then my laser aesthetician said I should try IPL. The first couple of times I did it, I was blown away. The red marks almost completely disappeared from my face in 2-3 weeks. Over the next couple of years I continued to get IPL, usually once every 3-4 months. I was never burned or blistered. But eventually the damaging side effects started to come out: horrible hyperpigmentation (dark brown patches) and hypopigmentation (white patches) on my skin.
Thinking this was still temporary, I slathered sunscreen on every day and continued with the IPL. (In fact, my laser aesthetician -- a different one this time, said more IPL would actually help my mottled light and dark areas.)
Well, after about my 6th or 7th IPL, I decided to stop it altogether. I'm seeing horrible, horrible mottled skin now. New round spots of hypopigmentation come out every week and they're not going away. My oldest hypopigmentation is 9 months old and if anything it looks worse now than it did before.
I'm done with laser treatments to my face. I feel like I've basically ruined my face (and wasted a lot of money) treating a problem that would have gone away on its own if I had just been patient (that is, the original acne red marks).
I will try to do regular updates on here to let you guys know how it's going. I know a lot of people have been damaged by lasers and are feeling as terrible as I am about their decisions to have laser or IPL treatment in the first place. Hopefully, something about my regimen will help improve my face and maybe give other people some ideas too!
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I'm a laser tech myself... Been doing it or 5 years now. Use fresh ginger root juice from ur produce section, cut it and rub it on the area a couple times a day. That should fix your hypopigmentation! No sun is required either. Keep me updated
ReplyDeleteHi Tammy, my name is ReShonda and I am a black woman who was getting regular chemical peels and getting great results until now :( . I have two areas below my cheek that are hypopigmented. They aren't white ( I'm also dark skinned), but they are light in color. I also have a tiny spot on my left jawline that is barely noticeable, but I am worried more about the other spots. I have just learned about the ginger juice prior to seeing your answer and I have some hope right now. I actually keep ginger for cooking and making my juices. I model and don't think I will be doing anything any time soon because what was meant to help has hurt me more it seems. I also had clear and pretty skin growing up and like her story I developed acne in adulthood. Could you please email me at reshondaparker@gmail.com and give me more info about the ginger and why this seems to work? I am curious about the story behind it. Thank you so much and please contact me? Thanks and have a great day!
DeleteReShonda, did you ever have any luck with the ginger? How is your hypopigmentation now?
DeleteHi, i have laser damage similar to yours. My life is Ruined. I did laser to get rid of some hyperpigmentation in my forehead. The doctor did laser full face and after 3 treatments my hyperpigmentation did Go a way but i was left with hypo and hyperpigmentation alone my jaw Line. My texture is Now like orange Peel and i have broken capillaries all over my face. I tried fraxel 2 years ago and i got some improvement . My hyperpigmentation is almo st gone but i have to stay out of the Sun. I was thinking of getting micropigmentation done on my white Patches.
DeleteHello! I have been suffering from 2 hypopigmented spots that are smack dab on my face and don't know what to do besides apply makeup to cover it. I am not one to wear makeup daily and so it is quite a duty to have to apply makeup everyday for this.
ReplyDeleteI have been practicing the ginger root routine since 11/23/12 and have been applying it twice a day. Is applying it more than twice a day over-doing it?
Also, has it worked for you since you have written this post?
Please email me w/ an update if you don't wish to write a whole blog about it. I would appreciate that! Email: adrimora89@gmail.com
Thank you!
I didn't notice any change with the ginger so I gave up after a few months. Maybe I should've stuck it out longer. It's now 2017 and my white spots are much worse than when I posted this blog :(
DeleteJess, my hyper/hypo story is identical: incredible results now disaster so much so I avoid going anywhere except around my family im so self-con about it, its destroyed my self-esteem. Using bleach for dark and something else for light areas ewe. I've also tried my dr's 8hr bleach mask have to use several times before results are seen one patient swears by it and gets it mthly i've seen slight results w/ 1 treatment will continue im so desparate some drs will still use IPL to treat hyperpig others noway. my grandmother's skin looks better than mine will post again after each 8hr mask treatment :(
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear this :( It's devastating to have this sort of thing happen. Have you seen any results in the past 4 years?
DeleteHello, I was reading your story and was curious if your white spots have improved over the years. Have you been to a dermatologists and had an official diagnosis? I'm not a doctor, or in the beauty business, but those spots look a lot like tinea versicolor. Often times fungal infections on the face aren't properly diagnosed b/c they resemble melasma or other skin issues. Just a thought to consider if you're still searching/suffering. Hope you find/found a remedy.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather! Yes, they did check it under a Woods lamp early on and ruled out anything fungal. I've never had a proper diagnosis of what this actually is and I've wasted hundreds of dollars on doctors trying to figure it out. As far as I'm concerned, it's definitely related to the IPL settings being too high. However, the last dermatologist I saw said it could be progressive macular hypomelanosis, which is due to bacteria on the skin (same bacteria that cause acne). She also said it could also be vitiligo at this stage (so, not helpful basically) and has prescribed me tacrolimus. I also bought a narrow-band UVB lamp that I'm going to start using three times a week. Will let you guys know of any progress.
DeleteIn the 6 years since I've posted this blog originally, the white spots have only gotten worse :(
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ReplyDelete