Loving (and improving) the skin you’re in

For quite some time, I’ve carried the weight of what I believed to be melasma, attributing it to years of relentless sun exposure without the shield of sunscreen or an umbrella during my daily walk to the office.

Those persistent brown spots on my cheeks, reminiscent of iconic comic character Archie Andrews’ freckles, became a constant source of insecurity. Venturing outside with a bare face felt like an ordeal, prompting me to tirelessly search for a solution to divert attention from what I perceived as “stains” on my skin.

Despite experimenting with costly skincare sets from reputable clinics, none managed to alleviate the issue, even after enduring intensive peeling sessions that left my facial skin sore and highly sensitive.

Consequently, I turned to quick fixes, dabbling in concealers, color correctors, and heavy foundations in an attempt to make the brown spots vanish. While I occasionally achieved moments of success in minimizing their appearance, the unforgiving humidity of our climate rendered makeup’s magic short-lived. My spots resurfaced all too soon, causing an ongoing struggle. The simple act of applying blush led to the dislodging of powder or foundation, unveiling my “freckles.” It was a frustrating battle.

In a society still grappling with colonial mentality, well-intentioned individuals would attempt to boost my confidence with comments like, “Why worry? That means you have fair skin!” or “Some people even apply faux freckles!” Such remarks were well-meant but hardly soothing.

While I am grateful that these skin imperfections have gradually transformed into beauty marks, and societal acceptance is on the rise, my desire to rid myself of these brown spots has still not waned.

Embracing imperfections is admirable, but when a viable procedure exists, why not explore it? As someone who finds multi-step skincare and makeup routines rather laborious, the dream of leaving the house bare-faced and going  au naturel  on a daily basis is undeniably appealing.

My encounter with Dr.  Kaycee Reyes,  the founder and proprietor of Luminisce Skin Clinic, in 2018 rekindled my hope that reducing, if not completely erasing, my skin marks was within reach. In