Skin Lightening Tips

It will take time to heal and wont be permanent. Use a concealer stick or foundation to cover the spot.

I had a similar thing happen. I used Bio-Oil and it took a while but the spot recovered. I'd say give it a shot.

Stay out of the sun, and it will fade in time. However, a darker tan will help prevent future burns.

There are several products sold in the Black skin & hair-care areas of Walmart & most drug stores (like Walgreens) for around $5. These products contain hydroquinine in a thick greasy base (the Vaseline-type of base is so your skin won't absorb too much at once). It's best to only use these products at night because they usually don't work too well with make-up. If you use these products it's very important that stay out of the sun! There are also other stronger products available only by prescription from dermatologists.

You can help your dead skin cells slough off quicker by exfoliating with half a lemon dipped in to table salt or sugar & then scrubbing your skin with this gritty lemon juice. Or, when you shower or take a bath, you can simply use plain table sugar to scrub the skin. Do this no more than once or at most twice a week. It won't change the skins color, but it helps remove any dead skin cells, so your "tan" will go away a bit quicker & exfoliating makes your skin "smooth as a baby's bottom". Rinse well, then follow with a good all-over body moisturizer.

I am Caucasian, but have read about these products in fashion magazines & tried some of the products made for Black women to help remove age spots & uneven skin coloration on my face from my changing mid-life hormones.

Two years is a long time to keep a sunburn! I might consider going to a dermatologist. Good luck!

First and foremost love, you should be proud of your skin. So please don't lighten it. Those products are no good and no one knows the long term side effects of skin bleaching. But remember that even though your skin may be a bit darker you still need to wear sunscreen every day. I use sunscreen as lotion that way I don't forget to lather it on in the morning. Exfoliating your skin helps a tan disappear quickly. Try a mixture of olive oil and some raw sugar ( if you have it, granulated works fine as well ) and scrub your skin towards the end of a shower. It tends it help if you do this towards the end of a shower because after the sugar rinses off the oil helps trap in moisture.

Also from MN. Things like this does not come from the sun, it is genetics and your ancestorial background. You may have a great aunt somewhere you resemble. Nothing at the drug store will fix genetics.

Well, I'm a white girl who's been doing battle with a big patch of sun damage on my forehead, so I feel for you. Rather than preach at you about accepting something you don't like and that doesn't sound altogether natural anyway, I'll just share what I've learned.

Hydroquinone works, but the 2% creams you can buy over the counter at most places only do so much. For 4%, you need a prescription. But I found a brand on CVS.com called Nadinola, and it has 3%. It works a lot better than the 2% creams.

There are a few secrets to skin lightening that go beyond hydroquinone. First, sun-damaged skin is thicker than normal skin, so you need to apply the hydroquinone cream on top of an exfoliant (alpha or beta hydroxy acid); the exfoliation helps the hydroquinone get at the newer skin so it has a better chance of working.

Second, you need to wear the hydroquinone cream constantly. Never be without it. Even though it probably doesn't work as well under makeup, you should still use it during the day, because your skin is constantly regenerating itself, and if you're not wearing the hydroquinone, it will be regenerating more discoloration and thwarting all the efforts you make at night.

Third, you must wear a sunscreen every day. Not only will this prevent future damage, but the exfoliation that you're doing to treat the discoloration actually makes you more susceptible to new damage. Thus, when you're treating hyperpigmentation, sun protection becomes more important than ever.

By the way, hydroquinone has a bad reputation in some circles, but in my experience, this is utterly undeserved.

Good luck!

Oh Quan! My heart is breaking! Please just be happy and proud with your skin color no matter how it changes! No matter whether brown, white or yellow; each of our personal skin tones simply change throughout our lifetime!
I too am mixed and have family members from blue white to glistening dark brown and each of their skin tones change and all are beautiful!

I personally went from blue white to a beautiful golden and now a pale white because of illness and wish I had the golden back so I looked healthier! I am sharing this poem I wrote two decades ago and I hope it touches you enough to accept yourself and how your skin changes. I am sharing this from my heart!

Tears of Color - 1990

Henry Hawks of brown skin
Wash away your tears
Someday it won't matter
In the future years

J.E. Hawks of yellow skin
Wash away your tears
Someday it won't matter
In the future years

Otha Hawks of passing skin
Wash away the tears
Someday it won't matter
In the future years

Gloria Hawkes of white skin
Wash away the fears
No one will ever know now
In the future years

Descended of these precious skins
I wash away the tears
Praying it won't matter
In the future years

Quan, I agree with Deeli. My mother is very fair skinned my father was very dark. I have darkish skin which I am very proud of! My sister is much paler than I and admits to being envious. She looks so pasty without makeup whereas I can go out with a slick of lip gloss and I look so healthy and glowing! So many people have complemented me on my skin color. Be proud of who you are, and be thankful you aren't pale and pasty (no offense to anybody) but a warm and vibrant color! Besides which, bright colors look so good on you whilst fairer people look "washed out" in them. The person who stands out most in a crowd would be somebody like you especially if you are wearing a stunning colored outfit!

1.Yogurt and Orange Juice

Mix Yogurt and Orange Juice, apply on your face and rinse off after 15 min everyday for one month.

2. Honey and Lemon Juice

Mix equal parts of Honey and Lemon Juice and apply on your face. Rinse off after 15 min everyday for one month.

3.Cucumber and Lemon Juice

Mix equal parts of Cucumber Juice and Lemon Juice and apply on your face. Rinse off after 15 min for one month.

After one month you can repeat the same thing once or twice a week.

http://mynatura  ps.blogspot.com/

A tan is beautiful and healthy looking. No matter what the experts say. It may be bad for you, but since you all ready HAVE it. Enjoy it.

Best to start using a high SPF sun block for athletes. It should help prevent further tanning. As winter comes your tan will fade back to your natural complexion.

I also have this problem and I hate it! People think im black, when i am RUSSIAN its horrible. People say its beautiful and I guess I'd look weird without it, but i hate how everyone is always commenting on it , wow your so tan, do you use tanner. Even the lunh lady at school asked about it. I just try using a lighter foundation or powder(they dont even have my color) so I just try that. Im the one on the left, and right now im like 18 shades darker than that.

I have this problem too, we're outside for 8 hours everyday for 3 months and then for 4 hrs for 4 more months. I have a very light complexion naturally, but I'm Arab/Indian and Puerto Rican so I tan easily. I use Lemon juice on my skin all over after I take a shower and I use body scrubs with a loofa, to try and "scrub" the dead tan skin cells off. I've found that the scrub works the best because I see that those tanned skin cells have come off and my tan lines aren't as visable so I suppose it works.

Hi all, if you have a light complexion, bet assured your skin will get back its original colour. It happened to me. I was fair. I came to chennai and my comp became very dark. I protected my skin for 4 months approx from sunlight totally ( literally). u wont believe it after 4 months I was as fair as before. I swear. Don use any thing else. Just protect your skin for 3 to 4 months from sunlight totally, and see the magic.

One of the best skin lighteners around comes from Avon, called Banishing Cream, if you want to buy one. I get it for my mom all the time, and use it on my hands some too. But if you do not want to buy a product, just use a cotton ball or QTip and dab on fresh lemon juice once in a while. It is great for the skin, lightens naturally, and you will smell lemon-fresh.

Another brand avail at most stores is Porcelana, but I agree with jacketbacker, that the Avon Banishing Cream is the best over the counter. Regular price is $8.50, but is currently on sale at www.avon.com for $3.99. You can also call 1-800-ForAvon to find a representative near you. The best thing about it, is that if it doesn't work, you can always return it for a refund or replacement with Avon.

I listened to a doctor yesterday on television that was talking about lightening/whitening/bleaching skin products and almost all of them contain some sort of possible cancer (mainly kidney) causing ingredients.

Perhaps you could simply try safe good old fashioned fresh squeezed lemon juice? In my humble opinion the things we find flawed about ourselves are actually what makes us unique and perfect. :-)

Origins has a "modern friction scrub" that really perks up your skin and removes dead cells leaving nice skin. Try a sample at an origins near you then you will see. In Mexico there is a product called "concha nacar" and it
is supposed to lighten or look in afro products section of your Walmart or other store and you can find something there.

Lemon juice? It seems I've heard something about it lightening skin.