Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I have skin much like yours, and here is what I use (including what my derm prescribed)

Morning
Wash with neutrogena foaming wash
Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C
Hydroquinone for dark spots
Drunk elephant B hydra
Ole Henrikson Banana Bright
Dapsone for hormonal acne
DRMTLY sunscreen

Night
Neutrogena foaming wash
Drunk elephant F balm electrolyte mask
Adapalene for aging/acne
2x a week I use a glycolic instead - Paula’s choice 8% AHA

It’s taken me years of trying different products and working with my derm to get the right mix and strength for everything - definitely ask your doctor about the hormonal acne!

Do you use a prescription hydroquinine, or over the counter?

Prescription - it’s about $50/tube. I’ve used triluma before as well, but wanted two separate products for retin A and hydroquinone so I can use the latter twice a day. Tretinoin (which is in triluma) is also pretty irritating to me, I prefer adapalene.

Lots of trial and error

Hydroquinone nor triluma helped me one bit. Used it daily for 4 months, took a break like they said to, then did another 4 months. Nothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I have skin much like yours, and here is what I use (including what my derm prescribed)

Morning
Wash with neutrogena foaming wash
Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C
Hydroquinone for dark spots
Drunk elephant B hydra
Ole Henrikson Banana Bright
Dapsone for hormonal acne
DRMTLY sunscreen

Night
Neutrogena foaming wash
Drunk elephant F balm electrolyte mask
Adapalene for aging/acne
2x a week I use a glycolic instead - Paula’s choice 8% AHA

It’s taken me years of trying different products and working with my derm to get the right mix and strength for everything - definitely ask your doctor about the hormonal acne!

Do you use a prescription hydroquinine, or over the counter?

Prescription - it’s about $50/tube. I’ve used triluma before as well, but wanted two separate products for retin A and hydroquinone so I can use the latter twice a day. Tretinoin (which is in triluma) is also pretty irritating to me, I prefer adapalene.

Lots of trial and error

Anonymous wrote:For the age spots, get an appointment for IPL and have them lasered off. I'm in my 50s and it done the first time in my mid-40s and again when I was in my early 50s. I'll do it again after the pandemic. I'm really fair with rosacea and the IPL did an amazing job getting rid of the sun spots.

How many times did it take? I tried prescription hydroquinone (triluma) and it didn’t work at all for age spots.

For the age spots, get an appointment for IPL and have them lasered off. I'm in my 50s and it done the first time in my mid-40s and again when I was in my early 50s. I'll do it again after the pandemic. I'm really fair with rosacea and the IPL did an amazing job getting rid of the sun spots.

I have similar skin (although a, post menopausal so the acne had ceased until chin mascne started occurring). Here is what I do and it has had zero effect after a year so I post it simply to say this isn’t enough!

Am- splash water on face (if I were breaking out regularly I’d use an actual cleanser); Maelove Glow serum (vit c); Supergoop daily moisturizer with spf and supergoop brightening eye cream with spf; supergoop unseen sunscreen.

Pm- cleanse with cetaphil (double cleanse with dhc oil first if wore makeup); 0.1% tretinoin 3 nights/week (I worked up to this gradually); cetaphil rich hydrating cream and cetaphil hydrating eye gel. Sometimes I do an m-61 wipe/peel instead of the 3rd night of Trentinoin, but I never do those together and I always skip at least a night in between trentinoin doses.

I still have wrinkles, age spots, freckles, and droopy skin. Occasional chin acne due to sweating under face mask Doesn’t seem better on this routine but hasn’t gotten noticeably worse either.

Anonymous wrote:Bump up your SPF to 50 especially because you have freckles and pale skin.

This! SPF 18 is not high enough. You need at least 30 spf and need to apply at least twice throughout the day. This is the most important thing you can do for your skin. Every day, even if you are indoors.

I'd also recommend getting tretinoin (Retin A). It will help with acne and anti-aging.

I've been using the Ordinary's 2% retinoid serum and I've noticed an improvement on the acne and the dark spots/texture.

*hydroquinone

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I have skin much like yours, and here is what I use (including what my derm prescribed)

Morning
Wash with neutrogena foaming wash
Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C
Hydroquinone for dark spots
Drunk elephant B hydra
Ole Henrikson Banana Bright
Dapsone for hormonal acne
DRMTLY sunscreen

Night
Neutrogena foaming wash
Drunk elephant F balm electrolyte mask
Adapalene for aging/acne
2x a week I use a glycolic instead - Paula’s choice 8% AHA

It’s taken me years of trying different products and working with my derm to get the right mix and strength for everything - definitely ask your doctor about the hormonal acne!

Do you use a prescription hydroquinine, or over the counter?

Hi OP - I have skin much like yours, and here is what I use (including what my derm prescribed)

Morning
Wash with neutrogena foaming wash
Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C
Hydroquinone for dark spots
Drunk elephant B hydra
Ole Henrikson Banana Bright
Dapsone for hormonal acne
DRMTLY sunscreen

Night
Neutrogena foaming wash
Drunk elephant F balm electrolyte mask
Adapalene for aging/acne
2x a week I use a glycolic instead - Paula’s choice 8% AHA

It’s taken me years of trying different products and working with my derm to get the right mix and strength for everything - definitely ask your doctor about the hormonal acne!

I have freckles and had dark spots (from old acne, sun, etc.) - they have completely disappeared with this routine:

Morning
Vitamin C serum mixed with a hydration serum (I use Drunk Elephant)
Moisturizer
Sunscreen

Night
Cleanser (Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm)
Serum (Drunk Elephant Framboos)
Moisturizer
Oil (I use Colleen Rothschild or DE)

I occasionally use a mask at night after cleanser and before serum - I like some of the Peter Thomas Roth ones.

Bump up your SPF to 50 especially because you have freckles and pale skin.

A couple of suggestions:

- Cetaphil is a big acne trigger for me, so I would personally have to use something different, especially since you are using it twice daily. I especially don't think it is sufficient to remove makeup and sunscreen which could contribute to breakouts. I'd try something like Fresh Soy if you really want gentle, though I prefer more foaming washes and something with some acid in it. Right now liking Acure Resurfacing Glycolic Unicorn Root Cleanser.

-Also on the cleansing, to remove the makeup and SS you may want to do a 2 step cleanse. So before the regular cleanser, try an oil or balm. I like Farmacy Green the best, but DHC Cleansing oil and Banila Clean It Zero are also good choices.

- You're going to need some actives. AHA/BHA/retinoids to try to increase cell turnover to get rid of age spots/acne. I would see a derm or use one of the online services like Curology to get a prescription for a retinoid. You'll want to start slow using it at night and work your way up. I alternate tretinoin with Drunk Elephant Framboos or Biologique Recherche P50, but that is after many years.

- A derm may also suggest hydroquinone for the age spots. I haven't used it, but it is supposed to be highly effective.

- Peels could be helpful. Makeup Artists Choice makes a bunch for at-home. You can chat with them and figure out what the best ones are for your concerns.

- Vitamin C is best applied in the morning. The cream suspension sounds like it would degrade fast, so maybe check out a serum. Skinceuticals is the gold standard, but less expensive lines like Timeless also work well.

Good luck!

OP here with one more question: where do you recommend I go to get these questions answered? My dermatologist checks moles and stuff, but she didn't recommend any products in particular. Seeing someone in person might be a post-pandemic activity, but I don't know where to start!

My skin has gotten horrible lately. I break out a week before my period, mostly on my chin (thanks, masks!). I should be too old for zits! I'm white and my skin is has freckles and some age spots already. I have dark hair and relatively pale skin. Here's my current routine:

Clean with cetaphil face wash in the shower
anjalou naturals moisturizer with SPF 18 after shower
foundation or tinted moisturizer to even out skin tone with light lipstick for the day
Clean with cetaphil face wash at night
Moisturize with vitamin C cream that I got at whole foods. I don't love it because it feels really hard to rub in (i.e. when I wash my face in the morning, it's slippery from the cream from the night before)


What do you recommend for a middle aged white woman who wants clearer, more even skin?