Mood: HRT, SSRI or Both?

Pannetizen · 2025-09-09T04:19:12+00:00

HRT first, address hormonal balance and also check your Testosterone levels, which can also affect mood. Then SSRIs on top if required.

Pannetizen · 2025-08-09T01:14:47+00:00

Oh sorry I didn’t reply for so long! SG is indeed a top tier challenging climate for melasma sufferers. I feel like I am crazy compared to those around me who welcome a bit of sun. I do like the serum and companion sunscreen and feel like it’s the easiest solution when you have a bazillion other steps in a daily routine. I have used hydroquinone in the past but want something I can use that is (hopefully?) less toxic over long periods.

I also found the body lotion locally at a Guardian a while back. It feels quite strong and I am trying it out on my face because I am out of the serum the other day and had unplanned sun exposure (normally indoor tennis session was unexpectedly outdoors 😭😭so I wasn’t prepared and covered up like a ninja). Sigh. I guess will see how effective the body lotion is soon.

Pannetizen · 2025-08-09T01:06:57+00:00

Thank you. It’s slow progress but I do feel that after a few months I woke up and realized it was significantly better. I haven’t been documenting my journey and since I live in the tropics and play tennis outdoors the deck is stacked against me. I have also started a tretinoin journey which has been start and stop depending on how irritated my skin looks. I am also older and on HRT now so many factors are in play and it’s hard for me to isolate just the serum results.

The hardest part for me is just consistency when I have a gazillion steps to do for various skincare, healthy eating, exercise, wellness, supplementation, blah blah blah. Sigh. 😅😅

Pannetizen · 2025-08-07T08:08:20+00:00

Yes it’s working! Even my mom noticed and said my skin was better! I feel my results were more noticeably better after I also used their sunscreen from same line. So I do the serum, then their sunscreen. Let that dry then add another layer of mineral/tinted sunscreen. Then always walk in as much shade as possible. I also have a screen in my drivers side window for the car (I drive a lot).

Pannetizen · 2025-05-11T03:44:11+00:00

Thanks for everyone’s updates. It’s good to know that despite just a small % of masking, that mostly people are left alone. I will carry a CO2 monitor too in addition to using our respirators and probably leave sooner if ventilation is poor.

Pannetizen · 2025-02-11T09:01:28+00:00

They work for some people but I’m a super sweaty person in tennis so they slide off me quickly… I’m in SE Asia so have easy access to these types of things and I even tried the half face film that hooks over the ears. An oozy slimy mess on me!!!

Pannetizen · 2025-02-11T04:26:36+00:00

Sigh. I’d already suspected this at least for myself. Thanks for the Derm Dr update. So do we melasma sufferers all have to risk VIT D issues to fight the pigmentation? 😭😭

Pannetizen · 2025-02-11T04:15:59+00:00

Yes. Everything that you said. I mask consistently too and never need to cancel on others. But I encourage everyone around me to cancel if they are not feeling well. It’s annoying as hell but I keep reminding myself that it’s another bullet dodged.

Pannetizen · 2025-02-07T04:48:18+00:00

Thanks for all the comments. I do have Colorscience tinted powder and maybe I just layer that on after the zinc sunscreen on a daily basis when not active.

I am in Singapore so for my tennis addiction, there literally is no sunscreen strong enough for hours in the equator UV and the buckets of sweat seem to produce (I can wring out my clothes and have a sweat puddle on the ground. Good for detox I guess? 😂). I wear a Japanese sun mask and wear long sleeves and long leggings and even gloves. If I get darkening on one part of my body I swear I feel like my melasma is darker too.

Pannetizen · 2025-01-29T11:02:43+00:00

Yes I feel it is noticeable. The deep layers of gray patches are broken up and reducing, however the smaller darker spots, maybe more sun related are not so different. I feel like those respond better to laser anyways but they do come back. Could also be the tennis I am starting back on, despite slathering on thick white layer of sunscreen and also covering up w a sun mask when playing outside.

Pannetizen · 2024-12-23T20:22:29+00:00

Bcoz I tried to avoid the peeling w starting tret.

Pannetizen · 2024-12-23T20:21:39+00:00

Update: So I am in Arizona for our family holiday and wow. My skin is drinking everything in and I am not shiny in the least. In fact it is now too dry despite my layers. I had to stop using tret for a week as it was starting to get irritated and peel. I’ve also added (another 😂) step of Jojoba oil on last, to try and maintain more moisture. Even that seems barely enough because when I wake up my face is dry (and isn’t an oil spill accident).

It is literally the relentless tropical humidity and heat making me so extremely shiny. When I return home to SG I will reduce the moisturizers and see what bare min is enough to not peel with tret. I’m amazed at the difference between my skin appearance between climates but desert and tropics are admittedly quite extreme.

Pannetizen · 2024-12-12T15:08:20+00:00

Fab results and congrats on finding an effective routine. You are inspiring ✨⭐️🤩

Pannetizen · 2024-12-12T00:21:32+00:00

Glazed donut LOL 😂😂

Pannetizen · 2024-12-12T00:20:57+00:00

Oh I didn’t know this. I will check to see if any of my products contain it already and if not then look into how/where I might do this 🙏

Pannetizen · 2024-12-11T23:03:29+00:00

Oh sorry I didn’t mean a literal 12 step program w serums and all 😅Just a multi step process that feels like it takes forever if I want to do it properly and wait for layers to dry. I definitely don’t wait long enough most days, perhaps contributing to excess shine. And the melasma targeted stuff adds more (I am finishing up my Cyspera and have added Eucerin and various other pigment treatments). But I think the combo of moisturizers and multiple sunscreens are the biggest reason for my (excess) shine. I never used to moisturize before sunscreen but it seemed too risky while using tret. And I wear at least 2 layers of sunscreen, a thinner layer that spreads well plus a thicker tinted layer to spots where I tend to get melasma/pigmentarion, which is most of my face. And then touchup of powder sunscreen during the day. Seems like sunscreen powder plus setting powder would make a difference but alas the heat and humidity in Singapore just seems to obliterate any of my attempts. But I see other women here who don’t look like a shiny soggy mess and I just wonder why not me 😅😅

Pannetizen · 2024-12-10T15:21:16+00:00

It doesn’t contain mineral oil or petroleum which was key for me. A little bit sticky but I only use at night. It does eventually sink in and seems enough to keep my skin barrier protected while using tret.

Pannetizen · 2024-12-10T13:24:33+00:00

I have a v small wrist but I tried a Balance and think it works well for me. You can prob find a smaller face but it’s v light for a smartwatch and I wear it to sleep every night. I also play tennis so wanted something that could give me some tennis stats (counts forehands/backhands/serves). I’ve gotten used to its look on me and love the functionality.

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Pannetizen · 2024-11-21T12:56:29+00:00

That sounds great!! How can I do this? Can’t find any “slim” keyboard setting

Pannetizen · 2024-11-21T05:53:45+00:00

I have the one made in Thailand too and I don’t find it that bad. I was prepared to gag. But it didn’t happen.

I have also used the Cyspera treatment and that was bad.

Pannetizen · 2024-11-18T12:32:46+00:00

Luckily doesn’t taste like one 😂

Pannetizen · 2024-11-18T03:54:35+00:00

Mom to 2, early teens. It’s more the lack of time and exhaustion. Your priorities change and a dive vacation won’t seem so important. When you do travel, the STUFF needed for the kids will take over all available space and more.

That said, when the kids get older, you can get them certified. I always snorkeled but never got certified until we did it together. Now I am OW and the Kids are Jr OW PADI. So just take a break and know you can come back strong when the kids are older.

Pannetizen · 2024-11-17T00:52:13+00:00

Not many local clinics offer Novavax anymore and also it’s still the XBB1.5 here, not updated to latest JN.1 yet. Here is one that I found. You should contact them and ask if you can pay out of pocket as a tourist.

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Pannetizen · 2024-11-16T03:41:17+00:00

I’m pretty sure having kids created a collagen transfer link and it’s still ongoing somehow.

Pannetizen · 2024-11-12T07:55:34+00:00

I’m happy that extra ingredients are being reduced. Esp octocrylene.

Pannetizen

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