"my melasma obsession" Monterey, CA

Its been a month or so since I posted "my melasma obsession." In the meantime I met this wonderful compounding pharmacist who offered to compound a "melasma creme" for me if I could ok it with my doctor. It took a few weeks ..... I started using it about 2 weeks ago. Its 1% hyaluronic acid --2% kojic -- 0.1% tretinoin. So far -- I like it. It seems aggressive, but not like obagi nu derm. I'm mostly peeling, but not red and irritated. Even my forehead is peeling and that's where most of melasma is. I still use Lumixyl in the mornings and use new cream at night. Can't wait to pass 1 month-- I will keep everyone updated. Another update: I have a doctor prescribed progesterone. I like it better than store bought. I hear stories about weight gain versus it being a diuretic-- After about 2 weeks of 40grms a day I am not bloated. When I used the store bought progesterone I was 5 pounds bloated.

So, this obsession started about 4 years ago when my boyfriend made a comment about the spots on my face. I didn't even equate it with melasma. I figured it was sun spots --- just put some creme on it and it fades away- NOT!
So I did the required "background" check on many, many, products and decided on Obagi Nuderm with .25 retain a. What a mess my face was in. BUT.... It worked. I followed every step. All the spots disappeared and as an added bonus even the blackheads and whiteheads disappeared. And that was that. I didn't think about it for 2 years. I loved my skin. I didn't do any maintenance-just continued with the retin a every night with a moisturizer. Then I moved and have a swimming pool. I'm in the pool every morning and evening because its heated. My face was perfect, until 1 1/2 yeats later, Jan 2014 to be exact- I looked in the mirror and it was there! Overnight-it was there! So I did the research again and bought another round of Obagi Nuderm. This time really understanding that I had Melasma, but still thinking it would go away like the first time. NOT! The first time I probably had epidermal melasma. The second time I didn't realize that I had a deeper dermal melasdma. So I did the same routine as before, but added .05 retain a. My face was a big mess again, but like Obagi says - by the end of 4 months you will see changes- and I did. Beautiful again. But in the 4 months I became obsessed with melasma and different remedys and also the bad effects of hydroquioine. So I had to find an alternative. I also realized that the closer to menopause you are-all these things happen to you. So I read up on menopause and started on progesterone. I also read up on supplements and took those. MSM, GSE, Pycnogenol, Zinc, Vit C. The supplements - no change, but the progesterone may be helping. Well then I had to find an alternative to hydroquione. That was hard because you do get the best results. Its like trying to quit smoking- you know its bad for you but it makes you feel better so you keep doing it. This is when I realized the true meaning of melasma. Within 1 week of stopping Obagi and moving on to my new melasma obsession Lumixyl the melasma came back 100% + 10% and that means more melasma. I did the Lumixyl Silkpeel the first week after stopping the Obagi then again on the second month. To be honest, both times the Silkpeel really agitated the melasma making it very dark.
They say maybe 4 sessions help, but I didn't want to take any chances. So I am sticking with just the products. I have used Lumixol since July 2014. My melasma has lightened up by about 80%. I use all the products religiously including the sunscreen. To me, it is the most important step. Don't waste your money on expensive products if you forget to use sunscreen. It defeats any products purpose. In the morning I wash with the cleanser- Then the Brightening Creme-Then Glycopeel 20- Then Sunscreen (this is what comes in kit). I did this from July - October. In November I ran out of the Brightening Creme so I purchased the Glycopeel 10 (with Lumixyl peptide) instead of the Brightening Creme. At night I cleanse- Then Glycopeel 10- Then Glycopeel 20 - Then .05 retain a. This is the external remedy to keep my melasma at bay. It has not spread and has gotten lighter and has slowly broken up. But has not by any means disappeared and is definately more managable. My melasma is about 2 1/2 wide in middle of my forehead- left cheek about 2 inches towards bottom- right cheek ( I got lucky here ) a dime size towards bottom. I aso have a liite on upper lip as well as on the left side of my chin. All places have lightened at least 80%. I aso make sure to use my Color Science powder 50 sunscreen throughout the day. Important step!!! Carry it around in your purse.... I have been to Hawaii with sun and 86 everyday- no added melasma and no darkening! That's the progress I've made so far. I still wake up every morning thinking that I'll wake up with melasma free skin, but I realize that I've learned to live with it too. We can try all these external remedys we become obsessed with but sometimes forget that healthy on the inside reflects on the outside. An added thought.... Last 2 weeks of 2014 I went to Colorado Springs and got altitude sickness. I started on ChlorOxygen (chlorophyll concentrate) 3 times a day. Didn't think anything of it -seems my melasma has broken up a bit more and gotten a little lighter. So I'm back home still taking it-- hopefully it keeps helping. And I just found out I am very anemic and have been for the last year - when melasma started. Just started on iron pills- will be curious to find out if this help melasma. Everyone reading this please let me know about your melasma and what's working for you.