Hello Everyone! So I am a 24F. In June I got a chemical peel which has worked wonders on my skin. It cleared up a significant amount of hyperpigmentation that I had on my face. After the peel, I purchased the facial products that the company sells, and that has maintained my skin as well. One of the products that I have been using contains retinol, and the others are brightening patches. I have been using them religiously, but now my face is way too light. My skin is significantly lighter, and I look like a completely different person. Someone even asked me if I was bleaching! To add insult to injury, I have been wearing wigs for the past month, so there is a significant line of demarcation between the skin that is significantly light and the color my skin used to be. What can I do to go back to my original skin color and even out my skin tone? I look crazy and it is extremely embarrassing. Please be kind, but I would appreciate some advice! thanks Attached are pics of my skin currently and the ingredients of the products I named in the previous paragraphs).
Check the ingredients! Something similar happened to me. Years ago I got an in-office chemical peel at a cosmetic derm’s. I was sent home with weekly exfoliating pads and a brightening cream. I thought the lightening was in my head but when family and friends started making comments about my skin tone, I panicked. I read the ingredients and saw one of the main ingredients in the cream was arbutin, which blocks melanin production. I stopped the cream entirely (continued with the weekly exfoliating pads) and my complexion returned to normal. The exfoliating pads, which only contained a blend of AHAs as the active ingredients, were enough to keep the hyperpigmentation at bay.
arbutin is in the brightening pads! which was one of the products that i was overusing. i stopped using them 5 days ago so hopefully i begin to start to see some color coming back. my mom says i just need some sun (she’s jamaican) but i’m scared to sit outside and my whole face ends up burnt lol. thank you for the advice and i appreciate you sharing your experience!
All due respect to our elders but don’t sit in the sun lol! Your normal melanin will come back in time.
And I forgot to say, I wear sunscreen religiously to protect against worsening/bringing back my hyperpigmentation. Good luck!
lol, I agree wholeheartedly! how long did it take for your skin to start producing melanin again? thank you again!
You’re welcome! It was so long ago I can barely remember, but I think a few weeks to a month. If it doesn’t resolve in two months tops, I’d suggest seeing a dermatologist
sorry guys this forum only lets me add one image but this is what my face looks like now. ppl keep asking me if I’m bleaching and it’s so embarrassing

Stop using them. These products have a temporary effect on overall skin tone, so over time you should return to normal. You shouldn’t need to do anything else (wear sunscreen because most brightening products make you more sensitive to UV, but also you should be wearing sunscreen anyway)
Stop using the products. You’ll go back to normal.
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Have you considered some tanning lotion? I got one that works gradually, I don’t remember the name of the one I use, but it’s in a blue bottle from an Australian brand. I’ve also heard a lot of good things about the one from Dove, but it’s too orange for me.
I’ve never tanned before so i haven’t but i will look into it. i bought the Jergens bronzer for dark skin to try to color match but it just made me look orange . thank you for your suggestion! def gonna look into that
Hope it’ll work for you! I think it’s unfortunately very normal to get brighter skin! I’ve always been super pale, now I’m almost see-through, and the one I use doesn’t make me orange. Looked it up now, and it’s called “Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk”. Also, saw the pic you just posted, both you and your skin look gorgeous
Be careful if you do end up doing that. Retinol will make it splotchy
what’s the correlation between retinol and tanning lotion? i’m not using retinol either btw