I have a really embarassing problem that's causing me a lot of shame. I don't know what it's from - my upper lip is permanently red and one side is a little bumpy. I am a 26 year old female with sensitive skin. I have waxed my upper lip for years and have just recently started getting laser hair removal. There is permanent redness, and I have tried lots of $$$ things: Foto Facial for the redness, chem peels, dermabrasion...nothing really works. Most recently I have stopped removing the hair so nothing irritates it, but I think some of it is scarring bc it doesn't really get better or worse no matter what I do. I've had it for like 4 years, I kept thinking I could improve it, meanwhile I am embarassed to be with people outside during the day bc it's more obvious, and I'm definitely more self conscious bc of it, so it's affecting my life a lot. I wonder if maybe the area got inflamed after hair removal, or scarred, or something. For a long time I didn't know that sun might irritate it so I went outside without sunscreen.
I just went to a dermatologist who said he thinks it's not scarring really but a type of hyperpigmentation so he gave me bleaching cream and Retisol. Does anyone know what this could be and how to help it? Can hyperpigmentation include little bumps?
Thank you!