How To Fade Dark Spots
A skincare story.
She stared at the mirror.
The blotches of brown on her face haunted her for days. And while she could converse proficiently over a Zoom call, she lacked the confidence to hold steady eye contact in real life.
Her dark spots made her feel insecure.
Enough is enough, thought Lila. They were all over her forehead, and she had quite an apparent one on her chin. I have to get rid of it.
But where should she start? A visit to the derm, or a text to Mom? Some good old research, she thought.
Sunshine
After hours of scouring the web, Lila decided to take a break. A walk in the park seemed appealing, so she put on her sandals, brushed her hair and out the door she went.
Her favorite striped dress ruffled in the wind. The sun shone at its best while Lila relaxed under the generous shade of a tree.
She could imagine the UV rays of the sun penetrating into her skin, jolting melanocytes that produce melanin and causing the dark spots in the first place.
Thank goodness she had sunscreen on. It stopped her patches from worsening and creating further discoloration.
As she sipped on orange juice, she contemplated getting a professional’s opinion. It’s worth a try, she said in her head. Especially if I’m to eliminate these hideous patches. And so, she booked an appointment for a dermatologist for the next day.
The Derm
The office she walked into was immaculate, and washed with white from top to bottom. It reminded Lila of freshly washed sheets.
Lila had never been to a dermatologist before. She felt it was time to get rid of her spots once and for all.
“Vitamin C is a must have to me, it’s practically liquid gold.”, said the derm. “It lightens hyperpigmentation and potentially prevents new spots.”
Just how? She thought. Lila opened her mouth to ask, but Dr. Aaliyah’s expression showed she wasn’t done yet.
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“It’s an antioxidant.”, she said. “It protects your skin from free radicals and oxidative stress that can cause skin cell damage. And that damage includes a change in skin color.” The doctor’s perplexing science-y terms baffled Lila, but a few enquiries later, she seemed to grasp the concept.
“Do you want to consider a specialized treatment? You could do a laser resurfacing treatment or a deep chemical peel here at the office.” “No thanks.”, said Lila. She wanted to do it the natural way…
Sloughing Away
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. That’s what Lila had read online.
Back home in the bathroom, Lila was trying on the new sticky syrup (exfoliator) she bought from the nearby drugstore. She could feel the dead skin cells being washed away with the water. That was followed by a vitamin C serum and a nourishing moisturizer.
Skin care is self-care. And Lila agreed. There was an unexpected serenity in smearing a cream on her face. She was pampering herself, and that eased all her worries away.
Face Magic
A call from Mom had brought Lila to the kitchen. She wanted to add one last thing to her routine; a special face mask.
“I heard that yoghurt has skin-brightening properties.” said her Mom on the phone. Along with yoghurt, she sprinkled some turmeric, due to its pigment fading factor. With a spoon of honey and a bit of licorice powder, her mask was good to go.
Mixing up this concoction, she felt like a witch from the stories of her childhood. She slathered on the mixture and waited for it to dry.
Once she washed it off, she could immediately see the difference. It brought her a step closer to the even skin she always wanted.
Consistency
Lila stuck to her routine for the months to come. At times she felt lazy or unmotivated at the sight of herself, but her dream of glowing skin filled her with persuasion. Consistency was key to getting results. Perfect skin was on its way.
A Wish Come True
“OK, you have to spill the beans”, cried that coffee-obsessed friend of Lila’s.
They were sitting at the local cafe just across the mall. Lila sipped on a banana shake, while a latte stood on the other table end for Hazel.
“Just how did you get that radiant skin?” “Oh, I’ve been sticking to a routine. I exfoliate twice a week, apply vitamin C, use a good moisturizer and plenty of sunscreen.” They sat back and relished the sunset, Lila proud of herself.
“I also noticed you lost all the brown marks on your face.”, said Hazel. She told her about the turmeric face mask, or “magic mask” as she called it, and how she never gave in, showing up day after day.
“And that, is how I faded my dark spots”, said Lila, with a pleasant smile on her face.
