sammij said:

me either...but we know it goes....

Rhondab said:

mmmhmm



have you used black soap before? my brother swears by it and has been using it for years
i just started using it, i'm just soooo impatient, i want my skin to glow for the summer season

sammij said:

I do use it for my skin. It does work.

Rhondab said:

and it fades spots too???
it smells and feels lovely, i'd hate to stop using it


ok so this isn't a recent photo, but it's similar to what my skin is like now:




it's just not, smooth... there's interruptions everywere.
[Edited 5/16/08 8:54am]

sammij said:

I used black soap, but it is too oily for my skin and caused more breakouts, that's why I switched to another classic, guava soap.

Black soap is great for dry skin.

I am with Rhonda on the natural oils, in the shower, I rub on the coconut oil then rinse with water.. it is the best moisturizer that I've tried.

sammij said:

If you're happy with your skin cleansing regimen then the serum is definitely the way to go. You should see some improvement in a week and a drastic difference in a month. The serum basically speeds up the exfoliation process and helps your skin shed those dead cells that make up the dark spots. It's also good for anti-aging. However, you MUST use sunscreen or the dark spots will get worse. Sun exposure actually boosts melanin production causing more hyperpigmentation.

The Obagi Serum C is totally worth it so save your pennies. That bottle lasted me almost a year. I also used it on my elbows when I noticed they were getting rough and dark. But if you ever get a chance to do it, try microdermabrasion and skin peels because they are the fastest way to get rid of these dark spots. That way you're literally starting with a blank slate.

Oh and for the record, black skin is VERY different than caucasian skin or other "types" of skin and definitely requires certain products to address our unique skin care needs. My Asian dermatologist and Iranian aesthetician have told me this for years, and after years of dealing with the hyperpigmentation and melasma I finally believe them. Good luck!

paintedlady said:

guava soap sounds heavenly, i'll have to look online for that though...
the rest of the skin on my body responds well to whatever i use, it's just once the face starts acting up, it stays crazy for a while...

but i'll look into mostly what everyone's suggested


i remember rachel3 sent me this awesome stuff, zapzyt, they don't sell that shit here
i even used it on the spots that weren't even zits, and it would fade them after a few weeks, maybe i should look into ordering that again...

SCNDLS said:

thank you

i just hate the fact that i'll have to be shielding myself from the sun
that's probably what started it all
i
LOVE
the sun

whenever it's out, so am i i'll have to invest in sunscreen


i've never had to before

I dated a panamanian girl that swore by black soap....I think she used a version called ghana soap..?

roodboi said:

i've heard of that one
there are soooo many different variations on black soap
for instance, the one i have now is from the middle east (i can't quite remember where exactly, my friend brought it from home) and it's labeled as "black caraway oil soap"

once it runs out - which is soon - i'll have to look into more

there are a few african stores around, but who knows what type of brands they'll even have

Okay...I am not black...but I have a suggestion for you on another front.

I have been plagued for years with periodic acne. It's tied to my hormonal cycle, so no matter what I tried (and believe me, I tried everything), I couldn't seem to beat it. And outside of a few days a month, my skin was great - which made it even more frustrating, in a way.

So one day I saw this



at Walgreen's. It's called Zeno - a little device that treats a pimple using heat.

The principle is pretty simple: zit bacteria need a pretty specific temperature range in order to thrive. This device has a heated head on it that you apply to the zit for a set amount of time. The heat makes the bacteria self-destruct and the pimple goes away.

They say it doesn't work on cystic acne...but I think it's just because they want to minimize their liability if it doesn't work for someone. But I have never had a zit that this thing couldn't zap. It's pricey...but if you have a flexible medical account (or if you itemize on your taxes), it's a deductible medical item.

All that to say...you'll have fewer scars if you have fewer pimples to cause them. Might be worth a try!

sammij said:

I hear ya. And hearing you say you're always in the sun without sunscreen totally explains the hyperpigmentation. Generally speaking, I don't do outside. So for the most part, when I was in my 20s I only had rare dark spots. However, that all changed after I bought a convertible. I didn't use sunscreen either and would drop the top at EVERY opportunity.

Within the first year of owning my car, I noticed a significant increase in the dark spots and actually developed large dark areas on my forehead and cheeks that were a completely different shade than the rest of my face. I used various over the counter skin products with NO relief. After a few years, I finally went to the dermatologist and as soon as she looked at my face she said I had melasma AND hyperpigmentation. This is melasma.



Living in Texas which has intensely sunny days year round proved to be a recipe for disaster for my skin. However, the microdermabrasion, peels, Serum C, and Triluma helped elliminate both conditions and now my skin looks better than ever.

So, babygirl, if you're a sunworshipper, get you a good sunscreen or the skin issues could worsen as you get older.
[Edited 5/16/08 9:28am]

Genesia said:

i know they sell this hear in canada! i've been really intrigued about that little device and i'm even more inclined now to buy it knowing it works...
that could be a graduation gift from my sister or something

thank you!

*runs to go shop for sunscreen*

I exfoliate like a mofo.... my skin is clearer now and I like the cleansers I use.
But now that I have smooth skin, (I use Neutrogena's microdermabrasion system and I love it, along with retinol-A night cream) I suffer now from extreme wind and cold skin sensitivity because of it,

its like I traded one problem for another.


I need coffee, grammar edit
[Edited 5/16/08 9:48am]

paintedlady said:

facial treatment is a motherfucker

sammij said:

You're welcome. You will not regret the purchase. It's one of the best things I've ever bought. Seriously.

i figure i should also post what else i use for my face's sake, either for input from you all, or even as advice for those who seek it


i wash with black soap
then i tone/refresh with DISTILLED WITCH HAZEL - i LOVE this stuff, and i personally hate tones and astringents, this stuff is wonderful and light, and you can refrigerate it in the summer and use it whenever your skin gets oily, or just want to cool down and tighten the pores, it's wonderful i suggest it
the i moisturize with that silvana cream, its the skin vitamin i was talking about

i also take 1 capsule of vitamin E (1000 iu) daily...

lets hope it all starts working in harmony soon

but i'll be trying other things for sure

thanks everyone

sammij said:

You might also try eating (dare I suggest this?) naturally fermented sauerkraut. (Naturally fermented means sauerkraut that is just cabbage and salt - no vinegar.) Fermenting cabbage releases the natural sulfur it contains - which is beneficial to the complexion.

Genesia said:

iiick...
i would try it if it didn't sound so disgusting.

I'm not black but I'm an aspiring esthetician!

You should go to a salon or spa for a facial, there are so many professional and retail products that can help it's amazing. When you breakout you might want to try microdermabrasion, it helps open the follicles to remove the junk and you'll come out looking brand new. I was amazed seeing before and after results on a client.

Dermalogica has amazing products, it's less fluff and more geared toward correcting and preventing skin problems.

CarrieLee said:

thank you!
i need so much money to consider microdermabrasion, but i hear it works

CarrieLee said:

doesn't microdermabrasion work on darker skin or am I thinking about laser skin treatments that don't work?

Rhondab said:

I think that microdermabrasion can be very irritating and can make hyperpigmentation worse. I think...

I've been using Neutrogena's Advanced Solutions Facial Peel to help with my hyperpigmentation. I've been using it twice a week and I've seen a difference, but it's not going as fast as I'd like. I may try using it three times a week.
It's suppose to mimic a 15-20% glycolic peel only there's no glycolic acid in it and it's not as harsh on the skin.

Rhondab said:

Some laser treatments don't work on dark skin because of the melanin it renders the light useless. But microdermabrasion is basically like using sandpaper on your face to remove the top layer of cells, which also takes away a lot of the scars depending on how deep they are. Because it is abrasive to the skin, it can be very irritating, especially if you have sensitive skin, which I don't. Therefore, it's important to go to a spa or aesthetician that knows what they're doing and works with black skin regularly. They can adjust the treatment to minimize irritation but they gotta know what they're doing. Like I said before it's the fastest way to erase the signs of hyperpigmentation.

There are quite a few home-based versions of microdermabrasion, like Painted, my roommate uses Neutrogena's and loves it. But it's not the same as getting it done by a machine at a spa or doctor's office. It actually looks like a rotating drill bit on a drill. Heavy duty machinery.
[Edited 5/16/08 13:33pm]

Rhondab said:

I think you're thinking laser. Microdermabrasion is electricity that they put on your skin to smooth it out and open the follicles. A girl came in with huge blackheads and very bumpy skin, I couldn't believe the difference in a 5 minute session with the machine.

It's really not all the expensive Sammi, you can get a facial with micro for maybe 75-100 bucks. Not too bad if it works for you!!!

CarrieLee said:

I love it and it makes a huge difference. It's important to note that there are different ways to administer microdermabrasion, some aestheticians use the drill looking thing, there's also chemical microdermabrasion or the electrical version you mentioned.
[Edited 5/16/08 13:41pm]

SCNDLS said:

Yes! I haven't learned all of them yet but I'm excited to!!! I've just seen what the electricity does and holy crap!!! Amazing!!!

CarrieLee said:

I've been going to my aesthetician for 14 years. But I'm very inconsistent as I only go 3-4 times a year. But we always do a full facial, the micro and 2 different peels. She's old school which is why I think she still prefers the drill thing. The type that she does actually leaves a layer of silica or sand on your face making you feel like you've been through a sandblaster.

My mom buys pear...clears up the skin pretty good...and it's cheap I think. It's a clear soap.