Hi! I'm glad to have found you guys. I too am trying to lighten my colour. I am Canadian & I've found that neo strata 4% hydroquinone gel twice a day plus 10% glycolic acid crème twice a day and microdermabrasion home kit all by this same company is working well & quickly without damaging my skin, burning or blotchiness. Just Google neo strata for a source near you. I am considering trying L-Glutathione but I cannot find a single person who has actually used it & has achieved results. Bleaching is such a taboo subject that if we ask about it, we are treated like miserable people with low self-esteem! Nobody bugs all these white people who go to great lengths to get a dark tan! My colour was very pale as a baby. I had bent legs so the doctor told my mother to put me in the sun. She did this & my legs are straight but the price I paid was to have my skin as a small child turn African black. It lightened considerably on its own over the years. I am now medium coloured for a black person. My siblings all are light coloured & I want what nature had given me back! I saw a change with neostrata in about 4 days but I don't know how much it will continue to lighten or how long it will take. Any ideas or input would be appreciated & I in turn will do my best to help you too. AVOID BENOQUIN! I've seen skin disasters as a result. Don't be tempted & never use pure hydroquinone: you'll dry out, burn & wrinkle!

I don't know about your case, but the neo strata I used (I think it was 2% with 10% glycolic acid) was a nightmare. I used it for about 2 months and didn't see anything happen, then people started to tell me my skin was getting darker but I couldn't really tell until it started to burn and irritate my skin which caused even more darker spots. Now I have more darker spots on my face then I ever did before. I would NOT recommend this product. My dermatologist even told me not to use it, but that was after the fact.

It might not seem like it now but later on it probably will show up and you'll regret using it, like me. But hey, if it doesn't, all the power to you!

Thanks for your input. What are you using? So many here seem to be searching & so little is known factually. It's a shame this is such a taboo topic! If we were seeking a tan, info would be everywhere! So far, neo strata hasn't harmed my skin & it is soft & healthy-looking. Perhaps you have extra-sensitive skin?

Louwn ,

Your one of the lucky ones. Do u realize that by heredity your skin is fair. So all you have to do is remove the permanent tan once and it will reman that way.

Don't use hydroquinone because I used it on my neck and my neck is became 2 shades darker.

Why don't u try using really good quality products like elizabeth arden - sheer white range or clinique. At least you know that your not going to be harming your skin

I use the sheer white foam cleanser and the sheer white vitamin C capsules. And over time my skin has become so good. Please don't look for magic creams because what happened with me was -

I was looking for a magic cure, then started using AHAs prescribed by this doctor. At the same time I was using a sunscreen. Then must have reacted - then I got pimples.

Then I went to another doctor, he did cauterization and gave me hydroquinone to remove the marks, so I ended up having patchy skin and pimples.

So I set about treating something , and ended up with awful side effects.

So, now my routine is so FABULOUS, and I have become 4 shaded lighter in one year. My skin looks so clean. And THE BEST PART IS THAT I KNOW I HAVEN'T USED ANYTHING WRONG.

So, u can try elizabeth arden or clinique. Perosnally I prefer elizabeth arden.

U can use some ayurvedic stuff . It is 100% natural you can get a scrub, which has grains in it. And use it on your face with milk (which is a natural skin bleacher). In india they have this thing called KESAR ( Saffron). U can drink it with your milk - it has skin lightening properties.

Even if you were born with really dark skin and you did all this stuff, you could improve your skin tone.

Do u have a pic I could see?