I have personally used alpha arbutin in the past and it was excellent. It lightened my skin considerably in two weeks. It's still the most effective lightening I've ever used but it is expensive though, that's why I stopped and switched to cheaper products. I do think I will go back though.

What brand of alpha arbutin have you used? I know that there has been a lot of discussions that AA can be very effective and some places say better than HQ, but I have always found HQ to be far quicker and easier to lighten me in the past, although I would personally rather use something else.

lilgreg1, can I also ask you where you purchase your AA ?

In the past, I've refrained from posting links to providers of certain products. However, seeing as this topic already contains a vast amount of providers, I'll let you guys know that in the past, I've used SkinActives, which proved to be a worthy provider.

There are others that I've used, but seeing as Alpha Arbutin is a single and generic substance with no real 'brand' so to say, I'd rather stick with one, rather than have users contemplate on "the best of the bunch" or whatnot.

I think AA depends on you r skin and the results you want... for myself, I am not that dark, but my skin tone is very stable.. or even resistant... I tend to have very little change in it,. I don't scar very badly, or anything... which is a good thing in some instances... but for something like skin lightening, is just proving expensive.. and time consuming.. LOL

There's a very rare possibility your skin may present a stronger stability in melanogenesis (as you've stated), but I'd go as far as to presuming that your skin just doesn't absorb the Alpha Arbutin in a manner that inhibits your tyrosinase process.

Of course, you may want to consider using a more absorbent lotion or moisturizer, seeing as this "non-absorbent" skin disorder seems to be very rare in general. Very oily skin may lead to less absorption of things placed upon your skin in general as well, and therefore using a solution after a bath or shower would be helpful.

I wouldn't quit just yet; try a few more things before you've come to a final conclusion.

I use a fast absorption lotion base.. I use the Eucerin fast absorption lotion... but the retin A makes it super runny.. LOL... and always apply after a shower

I'm a experienced user of the product... Yes.. it does really work... tha magic of it is to stay out of direct sunlight.and use a sunscreen.. but yes it do work no side effects so far.u will also need a skin moisture-izer it dries the skin also keep moisturizer handy an only use product 2 or 3 times a week

Does alpha-arbutin break down in the skin to hydroquinone?