Dark olive latin skin

by rosa
(usa)

hi maria, i am like a sun magnet, and while recently on vacation i have gotten extremely darker. i even used (and still use everyday on my face) sunblock with SPF 70-100 in it but ended up extremely tan. once i tan it takes forever to fade (i went on vacation april 2009 and still am this tan). i would love to return to my normal color even a shade or two lighter.

my skin is on the dry side but i moisturize very well, im not allergic to anything as far as i know.

another thing i should mention about my skin is that i scar easily. i am extremely concerned with using a lightening agent and being out in the sun due to the fact that i tan so easily with such a high SPF. how can i do this safely with out causing hyper pigmentation, thus ruining my skin?

am also wondering what do i do to make sure that my body lightens uniformly and not uneven and blotchy? i also have very dark/discolored underarms what can i apply to them to lighten the skin. once i start with a treatment can i still wear makeup (foundation)?

and lastly what products would u advise to help me achieve my goal? i also want to mention that i only am interested in topical agents such as creams and soaps- i do not wanna take pills.

im very excited yet nervous to try these products and would kindly appreciate your advise and help in steering me in the right direction.

sincerely,
rosa

Answer:

Hi Rosa, skin types of Latin-descent individuals tan easily. Even with sun protection of the highest SPF, it will not totally block sun tanning. Sunscreen only controls skin darkening, not prevent it.

IF you expose yourself to the sun more than 1 hour, it is extremely likely that your skin will get darker, even with sunscreen. Best way to protect skin is to re-apply sunscreen every 1 and a half hours. Still, tanning cannot be avoided as explained above.

If you have not used any skin lightening products before, please be aware that the process will involve mild skin peeling in order to remove the topmost dark skin or spots, to resurface the fresher lighter skin layer. When skin is peeling, it is more sun sensitive. I cannot specifically tell you it will not harm your skin after you said you scar easily.

What you can do is to test on a safe specific area (like the side of hand or foot) for 2 weeks before you proceed to the actual affected larger areas. If there's no bad reaction during that time period, then it would be safe to use on the rest of the skin then.

An instruction sheet will be provided to guide you better on how to use, what to expect, etc. Proper use is the other part of the equation on how to achieve your desired results better.

Yes, you can also use the skin whitening products on any other dark spot like underarms. And yes, you can still wear light makeup.

Try a mild skin lightening soap, with lotion and cream - Black Soap Lightening Kit under "Skin Whitening Kits".

Don't be scared. I will be here for you if you have any questions along the process. :)

Maria