Home   >   DIY Beauty   >   Melasma Driving You Mad? – Part I

Melasma Driving You Mad? – Part I

By on April 18, 2013

Melasma is patches of dark skin that appear on areas of the face exposed to the sun. ~Medline Plus~

**UPDATE – please see update at end

How can something so harmless cause so much pain, in the form of frustration and emotional turmoil? A nagging cosmetic blemish that tries to get the best of us. I for one won’t allow it. So, because I like to research, I have been able to discover an ailment, the cause of, and often times how to treat (on myself and others). However, what’s had me baffled is this ongoing hyperpigmentation on parts of my face. At first I thought, okay it is sun damage from the 7 years I worked concrete construction in the Arizona desert. Then I thought… maybe there is something wrong with my liver from the 3 years of pain meds I took (that began to turn my skin yellow). Then, I thought, hmmm… perhaps it is from the 10 years of birth control pills I took. One of the many roles of the liver is to break down hormones.

Then I figured, as I enter menopause why not have lab work to confirm – perhaps it will shed light on complexion. Sure enough I am going through “the change,” so I asked doc about skin pigmentation, his thought was that it was Tinea Versicolor, though he wanted me to do my homework on it (before he prescribe), which I appreciated. I did, and some of it made sense. It can occur from a change in hormones and heat/sun. Yep and yep! But, it is common on body not face. Mine is face, not body. Tinea Versicolor is caused by a fungus.

Prior to getting my lab work back, I thought my adrenals were shot from several heavy duty bouts of stress (over the years). I was so exhausted. While researching adrenals, I came across info on Addison’s Disease, with a side effect of hyperpigmentation. For a brief second I thought, that’s it (because of years of confusion and no relief)! I had already known that a symptom of peri/menopause was fatigue… this was me. And lab results did show I was anemic (no surprise from amount of blood loss during this change). During my years of research I also remember thinking that perhaps it is from the old plumbing (I lived at late grandmothers home for 7 years). Each time water filter was changed, it was literally full of rust. And they were changing filter every 7 months instead of the normal once/year. Reason being is because copper toxicity or an imbalance can cause melasma. Oh, and I mustn’t forget that being half Native American can also be a reason. I’ve read a lot on cancer and how we all have cancer cells, it’s what we do (or don’t do) that activates them. I believe Melasma is somewhat the same.

Aside from never being pregnant, I had all factors/causes against me, except liver damage, thanks to my regular detox routines (but you should have seen what did come out of me following a liver cleanse. It’s in my book, if I can find photo, I will add). Over the years, I basically tried everything… avoiding the sun, apple cider vinegar, dandelion, milk thistle, horseradish, onion, licorice root, pycnogenol, maca, hydroquinone, baking soda (internal and scrubs), avoiding gluten, eliminating sugar, fasting, aloe, sugar or salt scrubs, lemon, hydrogen peroxide, castor oil, grapefruit seed extract, Vitamin E, Vitamin C orally and topically, diatomaceous earth (high in sulfur), and more. I just can’t recall it all. I do know that my lack of sleep from years of chronic pain has not helped. I was avoiding more invasive things like peels and laser, because to me that doesn’t solve the underlying issue.

I know the sun makes it worse – something I had shocking proof of two years ago while volunteering on a Hopi Reservation. A few days prior to the end of my 2 weeks of helping build a straw bale home, I had access to a mirror. And… OH. MY. GOD! I was so distraught and disgusted, but… thankfully it began to go away rather quickly with some raw food and Vitamin E internally. I thought YAY-aye!! But it never went away completely. UGH! Im not sure what’s worse… emotional or physical pain, I just knew greater measures needed to be taken. So, after endocrinologist told me what he thought it was, I thought… why not go to a skin specialist.But before that appointment, endocrinologist said I should try washing my face with Selson Blue (dandruff shampoo). I did for almost a good week then ordered special soap, with natural ingredients. Both helped slightly. I did like the effect this soap had on exfoliating. Selson Blue, my gut did not like, but I was getting desperate. Soap also dried my skin but ingredients agreed with me.

It’s no fun to be so sensitive, yet… if I were so sensitive I would have never worked 7 years, in a mans world, in the desert. What I have decided since seeing dermatologist this week is… I will use a sunscreen of 60 SPF or higher, I will use the prescription grade hydroquinone (from a compound pharmacy) for one month. I will then have my first peel, but… it will be done by the Dermatologist herself. Not what she refers to as a medi-spa – those are known to make skin problems worse. I will continue to wear hats, though I need more big rimmed stylish ones. After bumping up the notch to these procedures, I will look to keep my skin clear with raw organic apple cider vinegar (in and on my body), continue with raw coconut oil as a cleanser, moisturizer (and internally), and I will do my own basic scrubs once a week. I do expect some improvement (if not disappearance) once I enter menopause and hormones settle.

I will also, now with summer approaching, do a fast with coffee enemas – those always do my body and skin good. Time will tell if her diagnosis is correct, I think it is after years of my own research. The last thing I want to do is wear makeup. I just don’t like it or the thought of having to wear it super thick to hide. And although I have people compliment me on my complexion and dermatologist herself saying it really isn’t that bad. I, like most people are hardest on ourselves. Yep, this has been me. Though, I am now open to trying more. I don’t mind makeup for special occasions, but daily isn’t me.

In hindsight, I would have never taken birth control pills, working construction was the outcome of a cheating husband and his pregnant girlfriend. And although I enjoyed it, it was hard work. I did use sunscreen most of those 7 years, and my pink hard hat did have a wide rim. I’m sure my days as a Cosmetologist/Barber doing perms without gloves didn’t help matters. I just know I will not give up or get depressed or wonder, why me? My time here is not complete. My years of research and these videos (below) have been beneficial/therapeutic to see that we are not alone. Let’s get out there and share what we know, and help the younger generations avoid. Knowing I have more public type appearances to do, I will not miss any on behalf of a darn flaw.

MelasmaA great example of being in the public eye is TV personality and mother of four, Brooke Burke. She talks about her years of battling melasma. This video is from 2012, though she also appeared on The Doctors in 2009 and mentioned it had been 9 years of trying to rid her self of it. So, if I have my math correct… that’s 13 years. Just about as long as my battle with it. Mine started at the tail end of working construction, late 90’s. I sooooo know what it’s like to be baflled by this, to want to hide, and to see it get better then worse (again). I truly believed it wasn’t fair, since I take care of myself and do all the right things (most hours of the day/days of the week).

I have even come so close to going raw. I know diet helps, but I also know that once we become so strict, we become more sensitive to the slightest of cooked foods. I now allow myself occasional pasta and bread, but I include something raw at all meals. I’m anxious to see how my dermatologists plan (and mine) play out. I just know I will not be a prisoner of my own world. High five to Brooke for coming forth on national television, AND for taking off her 5 layers of makeup. Just know, you don’t have to be a mother or become pregnant to get it. I’m living proof of that, having neither. I can honestly say I’ve come full circle in… what the HECK it could be! I believe I was right all along – sometimes our gut just knows.

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau~

So despite having almost every factor against me, I realize it just takes patience and diligence to get rid of, and maintain a clear complexion. I like sunscreen just as much as I like makeup, which is… NOT AT ALL! But if wearing it will keep my face clear, that’s what I’ll do. One more interesting thing, that is very worthy of mention…  a vegetarian diet can cause melasma – GULP! I’ve been a vegetarian since the 60’s. As if that were not enough… beets are known to increase estrogen, double GULP!! Both of which I like. Vegetarian foods tend to be high in copper – YIKES! I will not stop eating raw food and greens, I will simply learn to balance the copper out with other foods such as pumpkin seeds (because they are high in zinc). It is a matter of moderation and balance. I am not a vegan – I am a lacto-ovo-pesca-vegetarian, so I do get protein from other sources. Though, I do know there are many animals in the wild who get their protein from nothing but vegetables, and they are super strong – an ox and a guerrilla are just two of them. Quinoa is another food that provides plenty of protein. I shall see where this journey take me. I refuse to pout, hide, or have a pity party – may all those affected, choose instead to educate others on the How To avoid and reverse. All the while knowing… beauty is skin deep!

“There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl’s complexion.”  ~Audrey Hepbrun~

 3-16-16 UPDATE

As a newly anointed and apointed Medicine Woman Medium, my Guides told me WHY I was so sensitive to the sun. OMG! Since eating my sunscreen 1 1/2 months +/- I’m happy to say, dark patches are going away. Lightworker or not, this can help.

About Carmen

Author, Coach, and Herbalsita POWERED BY: Real Food and barefoot walking/running. Connect with Carmen on Google+