Sun exposure and skin colour after microdermabrasion and retin a

07/10/08

Lisa

I have been having microdermabrasion treatments and using retin a and a fade cream at night for the past 5 weeks. Right now I am super conscious about limiting my sun exposure which is a challenge here in Bermuda, particularly in the summertime. I wear SPF 35 sunblock every day and sometimes I use an umbrella and wear a large hat to protect my face from the sun. I want to know whether I will always have to 'hide' from the sun after I stop these treatments or will this only be required for a short period of time after stopping the treatments.

Also, I am a black female and the color of my face lighten significantly with my skin treatments which has caused people to question what is going on with my face. I want to know if I can expect the skin color on my face to darken up over time, especially in light of the fact that I wear sunblock every day and avoid the sun as much as I can.

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Answers (2)

Monday, July 28, 2008

Casey McNulty

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your question! It is very good that you are taking such care to prevent sun exposure. However, the combination of microdermabrasion and Retin-A and the fade cream may not be optimal. Retin-A cause your skin to be thinner than normal, and microdermabrasion is causing further irritation to the thin skin. On top of that, the fade cream is reducing the pigmentation in your face and causing lighter skin color. Discontinuing the fade cream may help to return some of the color to your face. Retin-A is not known to cause facial discoloration. In regards to the sun sensitivity, several weeks after you stop the Retin-A treatments, your skin should be back to normal and you can use less caution when going into the sun. Be sure to discuss with your doctor how long you should continue using sunscreen and hats after stopping the treatments.

Best of luck,

Casey