POSTED UNDER Cosmelan REVIEWS
Didn't Work for Me, with Side Effects - Orange County, CA
ORIGINAL POST
I had cosmelan done at my dermatologist's...
lunatwingirlMay 15, 2011
$600
I had cosmelan done at my dermatologist's recommendation for some minor pigmentation about 8 years ago. Her nurse whispered to me before I left to leave it on longer for a better result. Well, I did, and I turned red and peeled like crazy for about a week (which I think is normal).
This peel is no joke - if you do it give yourself a week off from wor, you won't want to be seen in public. I was so raw afterwards I had to wait a bit before starting with the part 2 cream stuff.
At first it seemed like it had worked, but then all the pigmentation returned, plus some extra. And it left my skin absolutely full of blackheads (I guess it brought everything to the surface?) and made my pores look really enlarged. This was all pretty devastating to me at the time. Possibly the worst part was the sort of shrugged off response I received from my derm.
Thank God the pigmentation faded pretty much completely over time, although it took a number of years. I have heard of other people having a similar reaction - I think it was just too harsh for my skin. BTW, I am half hispanic, half caucasian and fair skinned, not sure if that had anything to do with my result.
Replies (10)
February 2, 2012
I have melasma both on my cheeks I am on my 3rd day using Cosmelan , my skin starting to peel-off, i feel itchiness and my face is red. I am just hoping after 1 or 2 months my melasma will gone... considering the price of this product i hope it is worth.
April 5, 2013
well, thanks for ur review, i have just started this cream many people have encouraged me to start it, it has been jsut 3 days to start with, im so scared to conbue with it but i am so hopeless with my pigmentation on may sides of the cheeks , that i nevr give asecond thought to anything. i have an asian skim , it is advised by my friends not by adoctor. i would advise people to please use sunscreen on regular basis, cosmelan is a peeling craem and sun screen will helo to give aprotection to the peeled skin.
April 17, 2016
I am on the treatment now. I am going on my 3rd month. First week was awful. The peel was too strong for my skin and it burned my skin and it was so painful, dry and raw. My medical esthetician, who put me on the treatment, told me it was too strong for my skin and to start using it every other day, every other week. In between days of cosmelan and the weeks off of cosmelan, I use IS Clinical products and my skin looks amazing. The dark spots are so much lighter and the texture of my skin is so much smoother. Initially, my spots got lighter, then even darker, then lighter again and darker again. My esthetician said that this is totally normal because it is bringing the melanin to the surface and that it would eventually stop getting darker and she was right. I am so happy that I didn't panic and stop the treatment.
May 23, 2016
I'm thinking of starting this treatment and am concerned about the peel being too strong. How long did your peeling process last?
Hi luna,
So as of today your skin is more where you would like it to be? I'm sorry for all that you went through that sounds like a lot. Especially for your doctor to not do anything when you went back. Are you considering any other procedures? Please keep us updated.
Thanks so much for the review,
-Britt
My skin is much much better now, thanks. I got the melasma pigmentation from taking progesterone for PMS, and at this point it is pretty much gone. I guess I'm one of those people who can't take hormones without getting that. It's great that cosmelan has helped a lot of people, but it did make my situation worse, and I have heard of others having similar experiences. Things I've found that seem to work but on a more subtle and slow level are Obagi Clear with Retin-A and Peter Thomas Roth makes a good lightener too. Thank goodness my melasma wasn't too bad, I feel for those who have had it worse.
Oh good luna, that's great everything is looking up. And the added info about what works is also very useful to the community. Keep us updated.
Thanks,
-Britt