I've just found a new product to treat dark marks that i'm trying out, looks pretty exciting!!
I've used obaji for years to control both my dark marks and my acne but since it's so so expensive, time consuming to use so many products, and the intermittent peeling is both inconvenient and irritating. Whenever i stop the Obaji or miss a few days, I break out in a major way and have to start again. I'm always on the lookout for a simpler product with less downtime, and hopefully no hydroquinone.
Anyway, I was on holiday in dubai, walked into a drugstore, and the pharmacist walked up to me as I was peering through the shelves, and suggested two products which i bought thinking they'd be no good just to get away!
The first one was IKLEN serum, a small silver bottle, (they also had a cream to use for maintenance after correction which I didn't buy), and she said to use one spray on my palms, spread over whole face, and then one more spray to dab over very dark spots, twice a day. This apparently has a new ingredient called Rucinol in it, which reduces pigment over 6 weeks without irritation or peeling.
The second product she recommended was FAIR and LOVELY lotion, to use as a moisturiser and sun protection. This has niacinamide which accelerates turnover gently, similar to an AHA but not as harsh. I had actually seen this before but never tried it.
She also said I should only use cold or tepid water to wash my face with any mild cleanser, no scrubs, and no picking at spots, and that if my skin was really addicted to retin a, i could still use it at night over the IKLEN.
I've been using them both (without the retin a) for two weeks now, my skin is pretty calm, the breakouts I had at the time I started have subsided, no new scars. My marks aren't totally gone yet but have faded quite a bit, and my skin seems like it has a softer smoother surface, moisturised but not oily.
I'll give it 6 weeks and report back.
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