Can anyone help with skin pigmentation on my face please?

[FairhairedandFrustrated]

I first had this when pg with dd, now almost 9.

Since then it's came & went, more noticable when I was pregnant a second time.

The past couple of months I have noticed it coming back (def not pg) & this time it seems to look far far worse.

It's darker than before & people have even commented on it to me.

I went to the practice nurse this morning (I apologised for being vain) but she said there wasn't anything I could do, apart from stay indoors or when I go out, wear a total sunblock.

She left me feeling really shitty when she said yes, it was v noticable, and advised me to rub lemon juice on my face.... I will go to the health shop tomorrow & ask if there's anything I can take to help it fade away.

Have any of you got experience of this, if so, what did you do to get rid of it, or am I stuck with it for life

Thanks

I don't have experience but I do know some red cross societies run or will have info on camouflage make up [you can buy it in chemist will try and find the name and get back to you] Could you maybe ring the red cross and ask, they can help disguise it and will know the best sunscreens to use.

www.redcross.org.uk/skincamouflage sorry cannot get the link to work properly but hth

I'm in NI & not sure of Red Cross, but will check them out.

I didn't really want to go down the route of camouflage make-up, 'cos I don't usually wear much make-up, but if it makes a difference until the marks go away, I would try anything.

Thanks

I have this, a huge patch on my forehead, and smaller patches on one cheek.

I cover it with sunblock, it needs to be sunblock rather than sunscreen even in winter.

You can get camouflage makeup, stage makeup is good as well.The red cross are very helpful.

Don't use lemon juice, thats's bollocks. It may temporarily bleach the skin but it will also damage it and it will only come back.
You can also get a referral to a dermotologist, you will need to be pushy but keep on. They can advise on make-up and how best to keep it from getting worse.

It will fade with time (I promise, mine is not so noticeable now) but you must use the sunblock. It won't completely disappear but it will get much much better.

Sorry, should add, don't buy anything from health shops etc that say they will fade skin pigmentation.

It is not a surface thing, it is a change in the skin. Nothing will fade it that you can get over the counter really other than using proper sunblock and time.

Thanks so much, I am on the Red Cross site at the minute.

I feel very vain, but if some of you have it too, then you know what I mean.

Will get sunblock tomorrow. Do I have to wear it along with my normal moisturiser?

Yes, you can do. I tend to block the bits that need blocking and moisturise around it if you see what I mean but if it is still spreading I would use sunblock across the whole face for the moment.

Hi Fair I rang my Aunt who does the make up in London they do it in NI also as she has trained with them but you may need a referral from GP, but do contact them. She advised you use total block on whole face and neck just as Oiteach has said.
They may do it privately or point you in the right direction
Don't feel vain it is normal to feel self concious, I would be but then I am vain

Thanks for all your help, and Buzzybb, that was very nice of you to call your aunt for me xo

Obagi

A very similar thing happened to me after my Ds was born 12 years ago. I developed an unsightly dark patch of skin on my left cheek which became much more pronounced in the summer when I went out in the sun. A friend recommended I use Bio Oil. I tried it and to my surprise the dark patch disappeared after some time. It may be a coicidence, but it's certainly worth a try. I don't use the oil so much these days, and the dark patch hasn't returned either.

It may be worth looking at whether laser treatment can help which sounds drastic but isn't!
It is usually about £100 a time and you may need 3 - 6 treatments, takes about half hour. The marks will probably go darker for a few days but then disappear. I have had the treatment for facial redness but I am sure it can work for pigmentation as well.
It is a bit stingy at the time but not afterwards. Takes about half an hour.
Some beauty clinics may offer this, or IPL Intense Pulsed Light which is a less powerful type of laser. Full laser treatment should be done by a fully trained person (mine was a retired GP).
Hope this helps. Look under cosmetic surgery in the phone book. These are the clinics that usually do botox and that kind of thing.

The medical term for this is melasma.
See
www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=-348848094

Are you on the pill?

Laser not likely to help, but may be a role for IPL or a chemical peel (but not on the NHS as far as I know).