I want permanent whitening and am debating considering mono because I do not want to look like an albino.

My color:
http://bollywoodshoot.com/gallery/d/...+Mukherjee.jpg

Desired color:
http://36ci.com/sites/default/files/...ta.preview.jpg

I know it's incredibly pale but it would suit me so well, I've been researching about 2 years now and still can't decide how to go about this. Is monobenzone a good idea? Or can I achieve it with HQ?

Hi, I'd stay away from mono, you'll get great results with a combination of HQ and retin a. But you must apply a good sunscreen as well as sun avoidance to maintain results. Also never expose skin to sunlight whilst wearing HQ, I'd advise using it at night only and applying a good vitamin c serum during the day underneath your sunscreen.

I'm going to give you some LOWDOWNS, starting with Mequinol, I will have the best resources to hand.

MEQUINOL

There seem to be so many contradictions about Mequinol in forums, most of tem not based on science, just claims. In some cases, people lie just to make a point or don't want to admit that they are wrong.

· ''Mequinol (hydroquinone monomethyl ether, 4-hydroxyanisole, para-hydroxymethoxybenzene), another derivative of hydroquinone, is enzymatically oxidized by tyrosinase to produce melanocytotoxic quinones. The formation of quinones results in pigment cell destruction and skin depigmentation.''

· The way Mequinol works is like monobenzone, if you read any definition for Mequinol in dermatology books or journal you will realise that Mequinol works in similar fashion to monobenzone, it will not stay local to the applied area, it works like mono at slower rate, in the link below page 402 it talks about the confetti like hypopigmentation similar to the one produced by mono.

· The action of Mequinol is not fully understood. It has been approved for the treatment of solar lentigines at 2-4% strength Even on those 2% use, Hypopigmentation was observed on 1% of the patients, although it is concluded to be a safe option at that range.

· If it was safe at high strength, and can be localised they will be studies to test this. The reason I post this, because so many people who want to try Mequinol do so believing it is only effect the area applied to, and safer than monobenzone.Only low range of Mequinol with retin a used (Solage), because there was a high risk of systemic exposure '' The safety of mequinol in this combination formulation is supported by the low systemic exposures of the subjects in this study compared with the systemic exposures at the highest doses in the dermal toxicity studies in mice (16.6-fold) and rats (34.6-fold)'' [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

· When people hear monobenzone, they think of patches which deter them of using it but not similar information is available on MQ, because simply it has not been tested that much apart from solage. There are no long term studies for its lightening purposes.

· Even its depigmenting ability not greatly tested, the only study was done on "vitiligo universalis" (i.e. patients with more than 70% depigmentation of the total body surface)and only used in small parts as ruby laser also was used on other parts of the skin. In that study the pigment was returned for some patients, ''However, even after total depigmentation has been achieved, patients should be warned that perifollicularr repigmentation may occur, especially on sun-exposed areas. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings''.

The Skin Philosophy - Skin Lightening Advice, Skin Care Forums, & Reviews

MONOBENZONE:

• IT WILL DARKEN YOU:
  
  Many areas of your skin will darken before you see any lightening effects, it may take a very long time for the lightening of the darkened areas to be seen, white patches will appear before then.
  
  
• IT WILL MAKE YOU PATCHY:
  
  Unfortunately, monobenzone travels through your system and affects many different areas of your body, it does not matter where you use it.
  
  Example 1:
  https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/skin-l...-409267-5.html
  Example 2:
  https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/skin-l...463441-12.html
  
  compounding with phenols supposedly can keep it more local, via solage, but nobody has any images to prove this other than marketing companies.
  
  
• IT CAN ONLY MAKE YOU WHITE:
  
  Monobenzone will completely depigment the areas it has a permanent affect on, It's just a matter of time and how long it takes for your skin to completely regenerate in that are as to when you will be "Albino White" in that area.
  
  
  YOU'LL NEED SOME DOWN TIME:
  
  It can take up to two years for your skin to return to normal if you haven't gone "too far" or afflicted "irreversible damage", this varies for different people.
  
  
• MUCH OF YOUR SKIN WILL REGIMENT EVEN IF YOU ARE USING MONOBENZONE STILL:
  
  Your skin will regiment partially in certain hair follicular areas after two years, you will then have to use mequinol to fade these spots as they will be resistant to monobenzone, shortly after they will be resistant to both and I think that you will find that you have no chance of coming back from a double whammy of these chemicals. Killing the hair follicle may not even help.
  
  
• MONOBENZONE IS DESIGNED FOR VITILIGO SUFFERERS
  
  If the skin cannot regiment properly, affects can be somewhat permanent for vitiligo sufferers in on many areas of there bodies for many years to come before they see pigmentation disturbance, but if the skin is producing melanin at a healthy rate or even at a glutathione reduced rate, the regimentation on some areas is eminent and it will onset after around a year or two of/post depigmentation.
  
  Michael Jackson who had Vitiligo had many dark skinned patches
  - Michael Jackson when showing his bruse, look at the non brused leg.s
  - and here is his arm.
  
  It is clear that Michael must have gone through a lot of effort to cover the areas like those of his face, hence the amount of make up he wore, and must have tried many chemicals... mercury...
  
  - Using this tag ridect, you will find many images of the medical condition Vitiligo here.
  
  
• ONCE YOU HAVE DECIDED
  
  I have given you all the information you need on this chemical, if you want Monobenzone, MAC Shifa, although not a legitimate company, do sell a legitimate product.
  

S.A

What I have not covered are the following, and I will let others mainly cover these topics as I have little time on my hands to cover all of these, but I have gotten two big daddies out of the way and I'm going to add a little mid depth info on Hydroquinone, others will give you the rest of the info you need.

The Vampire Diaries

Regardless of what you do, lightening your skin with chemicals will cause a need for sun scree, lightening skin with natural products will not cause a need for sunscreen but unless you want to lose what you have gained, you will want to use it. With this considered, you will gain a vampires appear for the sun, oh yes, enjoy that awkwardness, imagine running out to your shed (if you have one), wrapping yourself in a towel.

• Glutathione: - Inhibits Melanin Production, lightens as skin regenerates.
  
  
• Kojic Acid: - Inhibits Melanin Production, lightens as skin regenerates.
  
  
• Papaya: - Seemingly speeds up regeneration by infusing the skin with Vitamin C and drying it out, these products with papaya in also seem to contain a great amount of salt to add to the drying affect.
  
  
• Retin A: - The animal version of beta carotene, supposedly helps skin regenerate too.
  
  
• Skin Peels: - Force skin to regenerate.
  
  
• Mercury: Don't even go there, it is one of the most toxic heavy metals known to man.
  Sammy Sosa will most likely die young for this foolish mistake.
  
  
• Hydroquinone: (You may read of Cancer, this was in rats, the chemical was ingested and they were exposed to lights which give off UV rays, rats being smaller are more susceptible to UV rays so it is possible, they had too much UV exposure on depigmented skin, and seeing as though they ate it, and they are rats, you can make your own decision on this.), Best not used past eight months as dark patches may occur, this could however happen at any time when the product is in use. Results from Hydroquinone can supposedly be maintained by staying out of the sun/ UV Rays, I would also suggest internal glutathione post treatment.
  
  
• Other products: ie. Nur76 .etc are at best, generally bogus, the bet people for advice can be found on skincaretalk in my opinion, you can find that site on google, or you can search all of your queries here.... ... .. . and hope there are other ISTJs like me, here at askmehelpdesk with some in depth head knowledge who are just passing by.... ... .. . there to inform you of what to expect.
  

My only recommendation is to be happy with who you are, and stop putting you and your skin, and your health, at risk, just to look a certain way.