Soooo. My friends were in my house and saw an old family portrait of me and my family. They noticed that in the portrait that I was Kelly Rowland's complexion http://info247.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/kelly-rowland.jpg and now I'm Teairra Mari's complexion http://a400.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01541/99/36/1541676399_l.jpg I honestly didn't realize that I had lightened so much! I've been bleaching since 13 or 14 years old. And now I'm 20. And it has just always been so gradual that I didn't even realize how much lighter I am until they pointed it out! Yikes! I didn't know what to say... They were just like "Wow.... You were dark when you were little" And they are all very dark skinned like darker than Kelly Rowland (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I could tell they felt some type of resentment toward me... It was so awkward. I just said that I don't go in the sun as much. And that I used to be really active and out and about when I was young... Then the other day... I met up with an old friend from elementary school... She also asked me about my skin. She noticed that I had lightened considerably. UGH. It leaves me in such an awkward position. I really don't know what to say. Though I am happy that I'm lighter. :) Anyway. Has this or something like this ever happened to any of you all?

Do I have this right? You lighten but don't know how to tell your friends and you are upset that they would accuse you of "lightening"?

Do I have it right?

As long as you are happy with yourself and your life.
Often people are just jealous
Or maybe they are the ones that feel awkward and that is why you end up feeling awkward

Also I don't know if this applies and I never knew this until a few years back but I heard some light skinned blacks talking and they were saying how they felt that dark skinned blacks were prejudice toward them (they had black mother and father not bi racial)

I wouldn't even worry about it just let them get use to it

Well... you DID lighten... an accusation of truth becomes a statement of fact hon. You can't really be angry at them for noticing something true.

I totally agree with nohelp. If you are happy with yourself, its not really anyonce place to judge you. But try to be honest and proud of who you are, and what you have done OK?

You do lighten, they noticed, I don't see the problem.

I have been in that awkward situation, especially back in Jan. A few of my female cousins were giving me the look and asked how did I lighten my skin so much. There was even eyerolling too. I didn't know how to exactly feel, because I liked the change but I rather them not mention anything. But, I can't blame them as it came by surprise to them so their reaction was normal. When they asked what I was using, I would never tell them I'm lightening my skin. I just said "Oh really? I didn't notice, I just been using black soap to help fade my acne spots and sunblock". I know it is not a very plausible excuse... but I couldn't think of anything else.

Brown Deceit, can you tell me your regimine on how you lightened and maintained? Did you lighten just the face or the whole body? Whose the lady in your avatar?

Regimen/Products I use/used

I've used a variety of things from Body Clear to Movate to Hot Movate to Fashion Fair. Currently I'm using retin A, alpha hydroxy lotion, clear essence alpha hydroxy soap, ambi complexion clearing soap (I love this stuff), and RETIN A. I just discovered Retin A. I know I'm late. But my dermatologist just prescribed it to me. It makes the bleaching process two times faster. It's great. And I lighten my face mostly. But for some reason my arms follow suit. As well as my chest. It's weird. Even though I don't try and lighten them. But they're not as light as my face though.

I also take 6 fish oil pills a day. They don't lighten the skin. But they BRIGHTEN the skin. And it keeps me from getting acne break outs. I love my fish oil pills. I freak out when I start to run out of them. Lol.

And I know that I have lightened. I'm not saying that they don't have a plausible reason for accusing me. I'm just saying it's awkward and I was asking if anyone else had similar situations. Please don't bash me...

Please BrownD, don't let that influence you it's your skin do what you what as long as you are healthy mentally and physically, I regret stopping 3 years ago when my friends couldn't take me being so light, now I've moved to another state, and I have started again now I will have to deal with people asking me if I'm bleaching there's no telling how lighter I would've been if I had not stopped, like I said in my other thread my friends started lightening when I stopped just keep doing you and don't let if get to you.

Oh and that's just a model in the picture. It's not me.

Please BrownD, don't let that influence you it's your skin do what you what as long as you are healthy mentally and physically, I regret stopping 3 years ago when my friends couldn't take me being so light, now I've moved to another state, and I have started again now I will have to deal with people asking me if i'm bleaching there's no telling how lighter I would've been if I had not stopped, like I said in my other thread my friends started lightening when I stopped just keep doing you and don't let if get to you.

How annoying that they told you to stop and then they started. Jealousy at its best. May I ask, are you African or Caribbean? I say this because most African Americans don't lighten or don't really know how lightening. I'm African myself.

How annoying that they told you to stop and then they started. Jealousy at its best. May I ask, are you African or Carribean? I say this because most African Americans don't lighten or don't really know how lightening. I'm African myself.

Yeah LOL, I'm west african. You how it is in our community as far as bleach is concerned. the funny thing is we never want to tell other women what we are using. But since we (africans) know about bleaching products, here is a tip, when they ask you tell them that you get skin treatments like sugar scrubs,or chemical peels, to keep your skin exfloliated and glowing, and name a price because they will ask you how much it cost, I noticed that when I name an outrageous price they retreat because it's sooo expensive to get andthat black celebs use it for some reason they are cool with that, I guess it's because they think it's OK as long as it's not steroids or hydro,LOL.

Brown deceit are you kidding >>?

Africans are masters in lightening their skin or giving it a glow...

Hydroquinone, movate etc. etc. it goes down from mother to daughter and generations because mothers don't want their daughters suffering...

Some africna moms even apply bleching creams to their kids form childhood... in jamaica and africa...

How can you say they don't know? They know... most are simply acting as if they don't... my girlfriend is jamaican and her mother used to bleach her since childhood..

brown deceit are you kidding >>??

africans are masters in lightening their skin or giving it a glow...

hydroquinone, movate etc. etc. it goes down from mother to daughter and generations because mothers dont want their daughters suffering ...

some africna moms even apply bleching creams to their kids form childhood... in jamaica and africa...

how can you say they dont know? they know ... most are simply acting as if they dont ... my girlfriend is jamaican and her mother used to bleach her since childhood ..

I think she meant like black americans, not Africans per se. But I know many black american in the states that have caught on to the bleaching game, it's just not as prevalent in there community as the african community

brown deceit are you kidding >>??

africans are masters in lightening their skin or giving it a glow...

hydroquinone, movate etc. etc. it goes down from mother to daughter and generations because mothers dont want their daughters suffering ...

some africna moms even apply bleching creams to their kids form childhood... in jamaica and africa...

how can you say they dont know? they know ... most are simply acting as if they dont ... my girlfriend is jamaican and her mother used to bleach her since childhood ..

... I said African Americans... I'm West African... Why would I say that Africans don't know? Learn to read.

Regimen/Products I use/used

I've used a variety of things from Body Clear to Movate to Hot Movate to Fashion Fair. Currently I'm using retin A, alpha hydroxy lotion, clear essence alpha hydroxy soap, ambi complexion clearing soap (I love this stuff), and RETIN A. I just discovered Retin A. I know I'm late. But my dermatologist just prescribed it to me. It makes the bleaching process two times faster. It's great. And I lighten my face mostly. But for some reason my arms follow suit. As well as my chest. It's weird. Even though I don't try and lighten them. But they're not as light as my face though.

I also take 6 fish oil pills a day. They don't lighten the skin. But they BRIGHTEN the skin. And it keeps me from getting acne break outs. I love my fish oil pills. I freak out when I start to run out of them. Lol.

And I know that I have lightened. I'm not saying that they don't have a plausible reason for accusing me. I'm just saying it's awkward and I was asking if anyone else had similar situations. Please don't bash me....

Thanks. I'll have to get some Retin A soon. I read so many good things about it and how it helps with a lot of things. I read little about the alpha hydroxy lotion and the alpha hydroxy soap. Other parts of the body is lightening without applying them directly on that area is most likely because of the hydroquinone goes into the bloodstream, further lightening other parts of the body.

.....I said African Americans..... I'm West African.... Why would I say that Africans don't know? Learn to read.



I suspect that skin lightening is the least of your problems - attitude being a far bigger problem.

Thanks. I'll have to get some Retin A soon. I read so many good things about it and how it helps with alot of things. I read little about the alpha hydroxy lotion and the alpha hydroxy soap. Other parts of the body is lightening without applying them directly on that area is most likely because of the hydroquinone goes into the bloodstream, further lightening other parts of the body.

Hey golden_girl, test the retin A before using it. I used it before (not for skin lightening but for acne as I was born white) and it absolutely destroyed my skin. It may have been an allergy but from what I understand, it's a fairly harsh medication. So test it on a small piece of skin for a week or so first

Thanks Jenniepepsi, what percentage did you start with? I thought of starting with either the 0.025% or 0.05%

Um, as far as I know the highest you can go is .04%
That's what I used. And I have never heard of anything higher.

You can get 0.10%

Yeah you can get it also at 0.05% and 0.1% as Lighterrr had mentioned. Here's a chart Retin-A (Tretinoin Topical) - Indications and Dosage (http://www.druglib.com/druginfo/retin-a/indications_dosage/)

Do you think starting at 0.04% or 0.05% is strong enough to work but not burn too much?

Yeah I would start with .04% and make sure your doctor knows WHY you want retin A, so that he knows what its for and how much to give you and how often to use it and such. I'm sure there are different stipulations for acne and skin lightening.

... well if you lighten your skin then expect people to notice.. its no different if you went and got a tan, people will notice. I'm not sure where the word "accuse" comes into play, it can't be that awkward for you because if you were worried about other people noticing then you wouldn't do it.

I think lightening your entire complection is something most people will notice. A lot of people will think negatively towards people who change the way the way they look. It's just something you should expect, just don't let it get to you.

i think lightening your entire complection is something most people will notice. a lot of people will think negatively towards people who change the way the way they look. it's just something you should expect, just don't let it get to you.

Thanks. You're totally right.

My dermatologist prescribed me .10% and that was to start with. Okay so when I first started using it I was already using an alpha hydroxy lotion. Then I put this on top of it. Let me tell you. For a good 2 or 3 days. My skin was flaking off and peeling like crazy. I looked like a complete mess. But when day 5 rolled around and everything had flaked off. I saw beautiful and lighter radiant skin! I love it! I honestly sometimes feel that it it is so strong that I don't even have to use any skin bleaching products with it.

Nice combo but I heard alpha hydroxy is bad for long term ussage is that true, people say it makes you darker over time

nice combo but i heard alpha hydroxy is bad for long term ussage is that true, ppl say it makes you darker over time

Really? I had no idea! I'll definitely look into it! Thanks for the heads up.

Really?! I had no idea! I'll definitely look into it! Thanks for the heads up.

What brand of alpha hydroxy lotion do you use? Can you copy and paste the ingredients, that's a good way to tell if it's good or bad for you.

Hey what did you use to lighten your skin