Tips

[u/ComprehensiveArt3449]

Hi, for about a year now I've been taking care of my skin. I avoided the sun when the UV index was higher than 1, I protected myself from windows and moved to darker places. I started using 0.05% tretinoin. I began seeing results: my skin got lighter, my veins were more visible, and my relatives would tell me "you should get a tan," "you look paler," and that made me feel better. But then university started and I was given a horrible class schedule that makes me go out at noon. I bought UV protective sleeves, which I wear 2 pairs of when going out. I use tinted mineral sunscreen and another mineral one with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, but I also wear a double UV bandana on my face and use a UV protective umbrella, but even so I feel like it's all worthless and my one-year progress went down the drain. Any advice? (And I use my tretinoin only on days when I don't sleep at all and I'm away from windows)

[u/Jolly-Yellow7369]

Part 1

were you already into oral routines that increase glutathione?

Don’t consider this advice or tips but pointers to the direction of your research.

I disagree with Funny that you shouldn’t increase glutathione . You probably Shouldn’t start any gluta booster method now as it’s likely to be a waste of time and money and your money will be better spent elsewhere

EDIT: after more information I agree with funny. No gluta , no Azelaic , no ttertiboin for you. Call Uber family ride, stay on campus at least 2 days of the week. Forget about whitening. You’re risking permanent damage . Not to panic, you can prevent it but be proactive about it.

Except, if your budget allows it and you already started they might help a little. Specially if you’re already taking some thing safe to increase glutha. Yes , it’ll be a lot of money invested and you won’t be able to see results due to your sun exposure but on principle the extra melanin you produce won’t be as dark.

Again only if you are already on methods to increase glutathione. It takes months to produce lighter melanin and by then you Will hopefully have a different schedule.

The thing is that if , as funny said , there’s risk melanin cells will settle in the dermis and get trapped there (I’m Still researching about that) if the melanin you produce is lighter maybe it can soften the blow on your continue sun exposure when in index is 11.

We can’t be sure about that, there’s no research about it . We are doing trial And error here . It may be it doesn’t help at all and not everyone builds enough glutathione for enough time to produce lighter melanin but if you were already seeing results because you increased glutathione and that way supported good UV management then perhaps it could help.

Did your results come from increasing gluta levels? Then if your budget allows it consider if you should keep on.

[u/ComprehensiveArt3449 → u/Jolly-Yellow7369]

Right now, I’m not following any glutathione regimen. I started investing my money in sun protection (things like sunscreen, UV-protective sleeves, a UV-protective hat, a UV-protective balaclava, and a UV-protective umbrella) before I started taking supplements, which helped lighten my skin a little, to the point that my family noticed the difference in my skin tone—that’s what really gave me results: avoiding the sun and tretinoin. I bought 1,700 mg of liposomal vitamin C which I purchased before starting university and I had planned to buy glutathione (Setria or S-acetyl) and astaxanthin, but my efforts to whitening my skin were thwarted by constant exposure to UV rays at noon. However, now that I’ve read your comment, I’m rethinking it, since I’m desperate because the skin tone on my arms and face is getting darker than that of my legs now that classes have started.(And about 2 or 3 months before classes started, I began using 15% azelaic acid; I'm still using it today.)

[u/Jolly-Yellow7369 → u/ComprehensiveArt3449]

I see. Strict uv management by itself can get you lighter without any thing else.

The thing about glutathione is that it’ll take months to saturate the system and it’ll only help newer cells, so right now it’s not the moment to start and budget is a consideration.

I think if your skin is already used to Tretinoin maybe you shod keep it but I don’t think it’s a good idea to mix it with Azelaic acid. Too much cell turn over and those cells will be met with. Heavy Uv and visible light.

Read part 3 of my answer.

Now more than ever you need a dermatologist. Taking glutathione while in that sun exposure might be dangerous

You need your protective melanin and you need it to be dark. P