I was born as someone who was light skinned. I started to darken when I was 4-5. I had a good tone then.

When i was 13-14ish. I went to DisneyWorld for a week due to a vacation. Ever since then I became really dark and am referred to being really dark. I am sick of it. I really want to be light skinned again. I am almost not afraid of hydroquine or bio-whatever it's called.

I am 16 now. Darker than I've ever been in my life. For a good part of my life I had a great tone and was lighter than my sis (who isn't dark) but now I am way darker and am the darkest in my house. Lots of people said I am really dark. Friends, family a bit, people. i am so sick of it.

I never was born dark or wanted to be dark so why the am I so dark.

I want something that really works. My big goal is to become light skinned again. If I can't achieve that at least become a few shades lighter. I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror every day.

Here are some ref pics of me.
some of the pics have intense lighting but in daylight I am dark and grayish as hell.
This was from 2008.
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3743/005pbt.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3743/005pbt.jpg

Here was i Last weekend (i ing hate how i had to shave my head and hair I had from 2008 and now i must grow it out again and go through these ugly phases before my hair looks nice and curly again)
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/259/1...2533059710.jpg

i hate this pic the most. I am a god damn silhouette.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/643...2533060410.jpg

Please answer me. I am so emotional and sad I am on the verge of breaking down.
I have such a low self esteem about myself. i don't want any other advice except for something that will work and will either make my skin light skinned again or make me several shades lighter.

i am sick of being so dark! I desperately want to be light skinned again.

lilgreg1

Mild as in something that doesn't ruin your skin; such as random white patches which I assume you'd rather not have.

Golden_Girl

Lilgreg Exactly.

No, I am not sure Kris as I mentioned everyone's skin reacts differently to different products. What I mean by mild is that to use something milder than mono. Have you started reading yet?

KRIS P KRIS

I've done a bit of reading and although mono seems too strong period at the moment. I'd rather try Solage which sounds good and works.

KRIS P KRIS

or 55H+ cristaline

MAHARANI

Well when you decide what you want to try, keep us updated. And remember your goal is not going to be achieved overnight so be patient and perservere. Good luck.

KRIS P KRIS

thank you. I will purchase this later this year.

dessaml

Kris....it is extremely apparent you are a newbie to this skin lightening thing so to save you a lot of screw ups and heart ache let me point out of a few things....well a lot of things, read ALL of it because I don't ever type this much for anyone....but I would hate for you to screw up your skin beyond repair...

on this forum, you need to read what people post VERY carefully, especially if you are new to this stuff....people use the word "depig" and "lighten" interchangably....those of us who are vetrans of this know the difference but you obviously dont because you mentioned monobenzone and solage and using them BOTH.

monobenzone does not lighten you....it depigs you....there's no inbetween. Go from being black....to Michael Jackson...from the pic you posted of John Legend this is obviously not what you want....so lets take monobenzone also know as Benoquin off the table? Good, moving on....

Mequniol....this is not monobenzone, however it is a depigment agent....if you use it by itself...which some people decide to do so (dont do it obviously if you dont want to depig which you obviously dont). It's more stable than monobenzone so there are less mess ups ie white spots, patches ect....Solage is mequniol and tretenoin (Retin A which is ether of Vitamin A) When these two are combined it stablizes thus turning it into a lightening agent, Solage is mostly used for sunspots and is also useful for hyperpigmentation as well as a lightening agent. You can buy Solage or you can combine mequinol 2%, tretinoin 0.01% because that's all it is. For what you are trying to accomplish I would recommend a high percentage hydroquinone available by prescription for how light you want to be....you're looking at a good 3-4 shades. Maybe 5. in combination with the things Golden_Girl listed. You want to be considerably lighter so I would suggest starting with HQ (hydroquinone) of maybe 6%...if you are on the sensitive side start at 4%....but 4% will not get you as light as the pic you posted but it's a good starting point to work your way up. Using tretenoin which will greatly highten the effects of hydroquinon since tretenoin sloughs your skin off to the under layers so the HQ sinks even deeper to lighten. If you are sold on the Solage....fine, but use it with the 55H+ chrysyaline because using that and HQ will cause dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) it's just waaaaaay too much and your skin will freak out and crack and blister, peel and get all kinds of messed up and then you will have scars. Mequinol is strong, I know because I use it in combination with tretenoin. Also buy a lactic 70% acid, it does not peel the skin but sloughs the skin and creates high cell turn over, you can buy it online for like $20 or so with shipping and handling, it doesnt burn much and you can do it at home easily.

Now maintating those results...first thing invest in some good sunscreen at least SPF 70. And using the said products periodically to keep results. As far as permanent goes? I'm sorry, unless you depig they will never last forever, your cells with turns them over and you will go back to your original color in time....The only advice I could give you for permenent lightening if you have the money would be to look into Q Switch Laser, I dunno if it lightens the skin at low levels but its used on vitiligo patients to complete their process of depig, maybe lower it could lighten...I dunno, but it's not cheap to do it.


So to recap: Pure Mequinol and Monobenzone also known as Benoquin are depigment agents....stay away from these..you dont have vitiligo, if it is permanent then it is not lightening it is depigmenting because lightening does not last forever unless you continue treating the skin. HQ, Solage (mequniol/tretenoin) remeber only with tretenoin to stabalize it will it not depig, i know this because I use both of them, 55H+, ect ect are all lightening agents, they are not permanent and do not strip the skin of melanin ie color. Protect your skin with a sunblock of SPF 70+ even if it is raining, put it on, even if you are in the car, put it on. Also like Golden_Girl said, get a good exfoliant soap, if not that get The Microdelivery Exfoliant Wash, kinda pricey but its awesome stuff

nikkicute

There is actually nothing to fear when it comes to hydroquinone creams. All the hype about it causing cancer is just that, hype!! There has not been one documented case of anyone contracting cancer from a HQ product, not one!!

The awful pics you see on the internet of skin damage due to HQ are contaminated creams from Africa which contain mercury and steroids.

HQ products to try:

Reviva Labs Brown Spot Night Cream (2%hq) $6.48
Reviva Labs Skin Lightener For Day Fade Cream (1%hq w/SPF 15) $7.50
cheaper at vitacost.com One of the first lightening products I used and it worked well. Natural base no mineral oil so the 2%hq penetrates deeper into the skin.

e-mail for a tube of 4%hq ($15 + $3 shipping)
She's a seller on Sell.com site that sells 4%HQ and Retin A

HQ in Bulk
alldaychemist.com hq4% $1.38 BUT shipping is $25 no matter how much your order. It's worth it if you stock up!!
(click Generic button up top and scroll down to hq2%, not sure why is listed at 2% but MelaLite is a 4% cream).

SuperSkinStore and alldaychemist sell the same 4%hq cream except alldaychemist is in India and S.S.S is in America. Who knows maybe she purchases cheap from alldaychemists and resells for more but I purchase from her because I don't buy in bulk. I purchase one tube Retin A and when I'm gettng low I'll purchase another one. If I wanted to buy Retin A in bulk I'd go to alldaychemist instead. I'm using Retin A and the Fair and Flawless facial lightening cream.

Alldaychemist is in India and the HQ 4% is made in India as well. It's a safe company and the products are safe as well so you don't have to worry about using a product from India on your skin. You can look up alldaychemist and Shalaka Pharmaceuticals who manufactures the products. Both have good reviews.

In some countries HQ4% and Retin A is right on the store shelves, unlike here in America you have to get a prescription in order to use the product.

Natural Skin Lighteners to try:

godivaskincare.com
Real cheap natural lightening product. Never got a chance to use this one. Active lightening ingredient is licorice extract and vitamin C $6.05 for a small jar. They mostly have testimonials from Asian customers but I do see a couple from African Americans, minimum order is $20.00

makeupartistschoice.com has a natural skin lightening cream 2oz $27.50 with good lightening ingredients list.Alpha Arbutin, Kojic acid, Vitamin C, Lactic Acid, Licorice Root Extract, Mulberry Extract.

Fair and Flawless (my favorite cream) not cheap Facial Lightening Cream is $49.97 but it works really well. They know how to lighten dark skin. Natural lightening ingredient is Sepiwhite.

I would also recommend a weekly peel like a Lactic Acid or Glycolic Acid to help clear the skin as well. Even though they are called peels there is no visible peeling or flaking. Your skin will be very, very smooth. Lactic Acid is good for beginners, to be used once or twice a week. The Lactic Acid from makeupartistchoice.com contains licorice extract (a lightening ingredient).
I've done both Lactic and Glycolic peels myself and I liked them both.

nikkicute

LOL!! Me and dessaml almost wrote the samething
We both got the Lactic Acid right. I used Lactic 85% and I didn't feel a thing!!
I was a little new to peels and always thought you had to feel something.
Like if it doesn't sting it's not working, which is not true. it left my skin real smooth and light.

KRIS P KRIS

Here is a pic back when I was 4
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9...2539455910.jpg

Here are some pics when I was 2 and 1 as a baby.
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5...2539454730.jpg

I used to be lighter than my sister. Now I am way darker and duller in skin tone.
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/385...2539454420.jpg

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/150...2539455960.jpg