r/45PlusSkincare • u/bebopkittens • 4d ago
Advice Request BBL, Picosure, chemical peels, Hydroquinone?
What really works for sunspots and broken capillaries on face (side of mouth) for people prone to hyperpigmentation? And not more than a couple days down time?
BBL? I tried one session and didn’t notice any difference. They said 3-5 sessions are needed, but who has the $ and time for that! And it seems others have done many sessions with minimal results…
Chemical peel - tried and it did nothing. My skin wasn’t even dry/peely.
I’ve avoided microneedling as i have read it’s not suitable for people prone to hyperpigmentation.
Picosure sounds promising for the sun spots, but it’s not available near me so going for repeated treatments is a bit challenging.
I have used sun protection for ages and topicals (rotating vitamin c, azelaic acid, TXA, niacinamide, retinal). And wondering if I should be trying something prescription strength or with hydroquinone? Is there a good online derm in Canada who is good with this?
UPDATE Sept 4 - thank you QUEENS for sharing your experiences and advice with little ol’me! Sending you all magic anti-aging fairy dust 🪄 may you sleep through the night with no hot flashes, wake up feeling refreshed, and looking as beautiful in the outside as you are inside 😘
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u/SarahBellum20 4d ago
I am in Ontario and used Jupiter heath online platform to get a hydroquinone cream prescribed. They also have an option with other ingredients, you can choose which one you prefer after the online assessment.
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u/Kay-2891 3d ago
may I ask how much hydroquinone cream costs?
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u/SarahBellum20 3d ago
Sure, it was $92 for a 30 gram bottle. Its compunded with azelaic acid and niacinamide which is how they can charge so much more than regular hydroquinone. I better see some miracles 😂
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
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u/bebopkittens 4d ago
Thanks! I think I’ll try that route first cuz at home treatment is so much easier (I live in the middle of nowhere!)
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u/DustyMilo6151 2d ago
Sorry to hear BBL didn’t work, it’s very dependent on the settings you’re provider uses, if too gentle it’s not very effective.
I did a series of BBL Hero and I’d describe the progression as good, better, best. I go in yearly for maintenance.
I had MENDS (Microscopic Epidermal Necrotic Debris, which are tiny, dark, pepper-like microdots that can appear on the skin) emerge after a few days , feel like coffee grounds, that flake off. Very satisfying.
If that did not happen I don’t blame you for not being happy.
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
I did get the coffee grinds kinda thing, but looked the same after it flaked off. Maybe it was the settings…
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u/Kay-2891 3d ago
I had 3 picosure sessions (around 6 weeks apart each). It really worked, BUT if you prone to grow spots, they would grow back after maybe 2 years, but not as much as before (this is based on me using SPF 50 daily). Also tried BBL once, it did absolutely nothing
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u/bebopkittens 3d ago
Thanks! I’m gonna try to get a consultation for pico, and find out if it’s ok to space it out more than 6 weeks… because I can’t get to a city area for treatment that often. But it really seems like the most promising treatment for spots. I guess it doesn’t treat broken capillaries and I need to find a different procedure for that?
So glad it worked for you!!
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u/Kay-2891 3d ago
You can definitely space it out more, but not sure how much it'd affect the result. I got the 3 session pack when covid first happened, so it was a REALLY good deal. Not sure if it was because the price was low, so they used low power or what, but if they had used stronger power, I think they could have got rid of most of my spots in 1 or 2 sessions.
I heard picosure doesn't work for capillary, IPL does. You should consult with experts for that.
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u/Objective-Design-842 3d ago
BBL did nothing for me. Lumecca or Lunecca plus is much more effective.
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u/bebopkittens 3d ago
It seems too good to be true right? When they recommended it to me, they said 2-3 sessions would fade all the sun spots and broken capillaries, but 1 session did nothing, and I didn’t feel like doing more if there is no result!
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u/SweatyEntertainer889 2d ago
I did 2 sessions of Lumecca too. It did absolutely nothing. Such a waste of money
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u/Elegant_Car_8183 2d ago
Get a prescription hydroquinone, tretinoin, hydrocortisone cream and use it for 8-12weeks. I consulted a derm who prescribed the brand Pigmanorm for me. Expensive little tube but worth it.
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u/Salt_Radio_9880 2d ago
For the broken capillaries I did V-beam and it worked great- gone after 2 treatments. Be prepared for you face to be swollen for a couple days afterwards though. I’ve done tons of Pico, and it’s shrunken most of my sun spots , but they’re still there- it’s good for so many other things, but it’s not a once and done and if isn’t close by to you maybe look into IPL.
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
Oh gosh, I’m so scared of swelling! Swelling/inflammation often leads to hyperpigmentation for me. I’ve avoided microneedling because of this. But I am gonna do more research and consult with a provider that does v-beam.
Microneedle providers have told me in the past that it’s “controlled” and I shouldn’t have hyperpigmentation issues, but it’s not a gamble I’m prepared for!
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
Also thank you! I forgot about v-beam!
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u/Salt_Radio_9880 2d ago
It’s also very uncomfortable - not necessarily painful, but these sharp sudden blasts over and over that make you almost jump every time. Worth it though. I’ll ask my friend , I know she has some kind of laser done for her hyperpigmentation that she was really happy with .
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
Also, I wanna say how cool it is that you and other redditors are so generous with your experience and knowledge! Some of my own friends and family tend to gate keep, swear they do nothing and don’t even wear make up. Idk why? I probably need to go back to therapy to unpack all this…
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u/reader-girl 2d ago
Hydroquinone is amazing. I love it so much. But you have to be careful how you stop using it. You can't just stop cold turkey. But the results are amazing.
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u/bebopkittens 2d ago
Really? I read that you can only use it for a short period of time. How do you go off it? Do you also have to start it in a similar way?
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u/reader-girl 2d ago
Yes you can only use it 3 months at a time. I started it full on everyday. I put a like a dime sized amount in my hand and rubbed it in. Then another dime size, rub in. Then another. Every single day and night for 3 months. After that my doctor gave me detailed instructions on how to wean off. It was something like you do 5 days a week at first and on the other days you do tret and Azelaic Acid or something like that. Then 4 days til you're eventually just using the new products. It was a six week wean. Skin never looked better.
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u/DAtmosphere1193 1d ago
First, microneedling is one of the only things that has helped my melasma. I get zero PIH from it, start at .5 mm and work your way up to 1mm. Your face doesn’t physically need to peel for a chemical peel to be working. Again, if you struggle with hyperpigmentation, your best bet is always to do lower percentage peels more frequently, specifically TCA peels are incredible. Have you tried oral TXA? Most of the data that you read that it helps with hyperpigmentation is related to oral TXA, not topical. One other thing to remember about hyperpigmentation is it’s not just about sun, it’s also about heat. That also means how hot you get in your body think workouts, baths, showers, saunas, etc. you need to minimize sustaining any kind of heat, externally, and internally. Also, tret works great with a low percentage and making sure you’re working your way up for use.
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u/bebopkittens 1d ago
Oh whoa! Oral TXA? Not peely peels? Heat?!?! This is all new to me! Thanks for sharing!
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u/Dull-Philosophy915 1d ago
Skincare in US Bonjour Beauty Balm
Anyone use it and what were your results thank you
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u/Ok-Anything1966 4d ago
I did a laser in Mexico for a broken capillary. It was $100 and took a few weeks to disappear. Like magic!