*****PHOTODERMATITIS RUINED MY LIFE NEED YOUR HELP*******

It is my second year of college. I am 19 years old. During my highschool year I had the best looking skin with no acne or no troubled skin. I was really light skinned and I loved it. During senior, I went to the Jersey Shore after prom and I got really tan (tans don't look good on Indians). I decided to put lime all over my face to get my skin to its orginal state faster (i saw this remedy online) and fall asleep with it on daily, while washing it in the morning. One day in June 2010, I had to do some sort of wiring outside for three to four hours and I already washed the lime juice off. I went outside worked in the real hot weather and couple days later my forehead and my chin began to peel. My chin developed a blister and my forehead devolped a deep darking all across it. My whole face was a whole new level of dark. I scrubbed soap on dailly to get it off but it only made it worst. I applied Allergan Azleic Acid 2% on face and it reacted with the harsh scrubbing on face from the soap. I developed hyperpigmentation on the sides of my face. My whole face is now dark even after a a full year and 3 months.

In September 2010 I got an appointment for a dermatologist and the he said that it will go away  "in months." Well months have passed my skin is terrible that I can't even show my face on campus because I know people from high school. During Sept 2010 to June 2011 i washed my face with soap used hydroquinone but nothing seemed to work. This is my sophmore year and my face is still at its worse.

Also ever time I shave my face feels sticky and thick for three days and then my skin goes back to its normal texture on the fourth day. It is not the razor or cream because this has never happened to me before and I shaved the same??????

I have photodetermitis which has resulted in massive hyperpigmentation all over my face. Literally my whole face has hyperpigmentation because I used lime on my whole face.

I don't know what to do any more.
I heard coconut oil might help? Any suggestions?

I really need help because it has been breaking me up socially. However, I have seen some amount of improvement in the one year but it is not really a high level of improvement. Is their anyway to speed up the process because it seems like waiting will take for ever.

Thanks again

PLEASE REFER TO THE PICTURES IN MY ALBUM AND ONE ADDED ONE

THANKS GUYS

[maatson]

Hello, External applications are no great help in cases of such pigmentation. A course of antoxidants either in form of nutritional suppliments or diet rich in b-carotene would be of help.Indeed it is a question of time before this disappears.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
For such type of hyperpigmentation, you can go in for laser treatment, Chemical peeling or microdermabrasion. Avoid picking, harsh scrubbing, and abrasive treatments unless prescribed by a dermatologist during this period.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.