Hey Beauties!
Yes, I played with Mr. T’s catchphrase for the title haha. Being diagnosed with Pityriasis alba (PA) as an adult was so discouraging. Pityriasis alba is a skin disorder where you get hypopigmented (light colored) patches on your body. While it is a benign issue usually caused by the underlying issue of having extreme dry skin or atopic dermatitis (eczema), it is incredibly annoying to deal with. It is pretty common in children and it tends to go away with time. It is seen more with people of color. For me, it popped up randomly just a couple of years ago when I turned 30. I love beauty and skincare so I was putting a lot of effort into buying good brands. But the hypopigmented patches started to show through my foundation. Sometimes my skin even felt itchy, which makes sense with the underlying cause being eczema.
I immediately went to my dermatologist at the time, who prescribed me Elidel (generic name: pimecrolimus) cream. While it was VERY expensive (even with insurance), I took the plunge because the patches were all over my face. After using it for a few months, the lighter patches completely went away and I was left with my normal skin tone. I stopped using the cream and the patches back within a month or so. Then I started the Elidel again… but I found out that Elidel was not meant to be used for months at a time because it can thin out skin so much to cause stretchmarks and prolonged usage can lead to cancer! My former dermatologist never informed me of any of this and didn’t even tell me to NOT use it for as long as I did.
Shortly after I restarted the Elidel cream (before I learned of the harms of prolonged usage), I had the worse dermatological experience of my life.. I woke up one morning with my entire face swollen, itchy, and painful. My eyes were swollen shut. I had to do two rounds of antibiotics and couldn’t put anything on my face because it kept irritating it and make it worse. This was before Covid so I had to take public transportation to and from work (I worked a healthcare job that was essential) unmasked. The doctors and specialists couldn’t figure out what was causing the reaction and it took a month to go away completely! I replaced all of my cosmetics, cosmetic brushes, and skincare..you can just imagine how expensive that was! I had to slowly introduce products to my face again because my skin would burn and itch uncontrollably if I tried putting any type of moisturizer. I actually started using olive oil on my face for some kind of moisture, because on of top of my skin be itchy and painful, it was also becoming very dry.
I am not saying that this horrific episode was caused by Elidel, but once my face finally healed I was very conservative with what went on my face and started with very simple cleansers, fragrance-free, no SPF in the beginning (which was torture for me!). Now, I have built up a specific skincare regimen and found the products that work for me which in turn have helped with the Pityriasis alba. My PA hasn’t completely gone away, because a small hypopigmented patch will pop up randomly but it is very small and isn’t noticeable too much when I wear makeup.
These are the products that I use that helped my skin. Everyone’s skin in different so try one product at a time to see if it’s helping. I think the big takeaway with having PA, is to use a good moisturizer in those areas because the underlying cause can be eczema.
Daily Regimen
Facial Cleanser
The Vanicream Gentle Face Cleanser is literally free of everything which makes the perfect go to cleanser for anyone with sensitive skin.. or making a comeback from a horrific dermatological episode like yours truly lol.
Morning Serum
This serum is my absolute favorite and it is the first product that I put on my face after cleansing. I use just a couple of drops of the Skinceuticals Phloretin CF with Ferulic Acid serum and apply by softly pressing the formula into my skin. Once it fully dries (in about a minute), I move on to moisturizer. FYI keep all vitamin C serums stored away from light!
Moisturizer
The Supergoop! Triple Prep Weightless Multitasking Moisturizer is my fave daily moisturizer because it already has SPF and is good for oily/combo skin and leaves a hydrating finish that doesn’t make you look sweaty.
If you feel like you need even more moisture, then the Skinceuticals Daily Moisture cream is perfect. But keep in mind that it doesn’t have SPF so I would suggest layering La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Light Fluid Sunscreen on top of it.
Nighttime Regimen
After I cleanse my face at night, with the Vanicream Gentle Cleanser again, I alternate between the Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel serum and the Skinceuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight every other night. And then finish off with a thick layer of the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream for Sensitive Skin.
Wow !