My instant response is HECK NO, but a recent visit to my Dermatologist has me saying maybe...
I LOVE my milk chocolate skin tone. Mmm; I taste and look so good, I make you want to say "Hershey is" when I walk into a room... Ha!
The idea of bleaching skin actually sickens me. Every time I think about it, I revert back to my freshman year of college where I learned about skin bleaching via my Anthropology Race & Ethics class (WATCH: A Girl Like Me).
In some black communities and countries like Jamaica and Thailand, skin bleaching is common. It has to do with the idea of beauty and lighter skin being more desirable. This obsession with whiter skin can be traced back to times where those who were considered farmers had a lower status and tended to be darker from being in the sun all day (i.e., slaves and farmers/peasants from ancient China). Thus, having lighter skin is now a way to define ones status in a world with no definite cast system.
So anyway, a recent visit to my new Dermatologist changed my mind (slightly) about skin bleaching. Anxious about meeting my new doctor for the first time, I was ready to see him and go back to using my daily facial regiments. You see, I ran into some health insurance issues and stopped using my normal prescribed products completely (eek!), causing me to breakout like I was some prepubescent teen. HELLO, I'M 21!
Since I was 10 years old, I've been going to a Dermatologist. I've also been using the same acne meds for 10 years. About 90% of my skin care products aren't over-the-counter and since I have sensitive skin, I don't have the luxury of trying all the fun less-expensive-than-prescription topicals.
But back to my visit with the new doc...
During my consultation there was talk about pills (?!), Epiduo and Hydroquinone. Epiduo is the new popular prescribed topical in the world of Acne. Remember when Differin was in? Tried it. It was poop. However, when he mentioned Hydroquinone, I scratched my head - never heard of it. Hydroquinone is the by-prescription-only bleach cream. I have bad scarring from picking my pimples (nothing feels as good as popping a zit), so doc recommended I use the cream to lighten my dark spots because it will fade them quicker. I plan on only using it at night because I'm scared what will happen to my face after I apply it and then expose my skin to the sun. I also plan on using the tiniest amount possible and stopping once I see a good or bad change in my skin.
Thoughts? Do you use bleaching cream or something similar?
XOXO
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*Editor's Note (7/3/10) : I've been too scared to use the cream. It was a waste of money. It cost over $100 because it wasn't covered by my insurance. WASTE! I've been using Bio Oil on and off for over a year now and I'll just stick to that.
i've known about skin lighteners being popular in Asia for a long time. i was tempted to use it because i do think lighter skin is prettier, but in the U.S. everyone is obsessed with obtaining the perfect tan so it seemed a little counterproductive to me.
ReplyDeletei've used a skin lightener before, but it was to lighten a big scar that i had not my all-over complexion. i feel like people who use bleach creams hate themselves so it's good that you love your chocolate complexion :). i always tell my bf that he looks like chocolate ^-^.
-azn_barbie
I totally am in the same boat as you when it comes to being quite dependent on having all of my prescriptions in order. I stopped using one of them for a month and the results were not so good. As someone with very sensitive-skin I also rely almost solely on prescriptions for my skincare.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I don't think there's any problem with using Hydroquinone to lighten scarring. There's not that much out there that will lighten scars effectively! I've been using Retin-A Micro for about a year and a half, which is supposed to help with that, but it doesn't really.
If it is for acne than I guess it is ok. I'm crazy, super pale so everything red shows up way brighter than it does on other people and I have acne scarring too so I understand the need to get rid of them- but at the same time I'm not sure bleaching is the best option. It just seems extreme.
ReplyDeleteSounds kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteIf it doesn't work out Vitamin E is supposed to be good for reducing scarring. Although it is supposed to take a while to work.
I had pretty bad acne in my early university years and I have light black skin...so the acne scars were significantly darker than my normal skin. I did use a prescribed fading cream at night, but the results wouldn't show for at least two months...(also, I was reading in Essence magazine about "Bio Oil" so I started using that too because it was over the counter and extremely advertised!) To be honest, it worked and faded away 75% of the scars, and I leave the remaining 25% to make-up, because it was my own fault for popping the pimples in the first place...just gotta embrace the way you look no matter what!
ReplyDeletei recommend using a natural skin lightener such as kojic acid or other types that you can find at sephora. I've suffered from acne and had scarring as well and i stayed away from bleaching creams that contained hydroquinone because study's show that it can later cause darkening. Also it will make your face very sensitive to the sun which can cause darkness as I've experienced with certain products.
ReplyDeleteGreetings! Very useful advice in this particular post!
ReplyDeleteIt is the little changes that will make the greatest changes.
Thanks for sharing!
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