Just a Gen X girl in the world
Monday May 20th 2013

WTF? Has anyone else got these?

I think the part that I am most struggling with on my Gen X journey is that of ageing and the absolute disintegration of my body. Sure I can live with being overweight (actually no I can’t, I hate it) and I successfully manage to disguise my greys with a fetching shade of blonde, but what are these poxy white spots all over my legs and arms. (Ok, I know I could do with a bit of moisturiser and yes, my legs need shaving too, but I have bigger things on my mind right now!)
 
My dermotologist tells me they are are hypopigmentation spots, basically the melatonin has stopped working and there is a loss of colour and THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. If only Michael Jackson had hung around long enough I could have helped him out with some sort of transfusion because if these babies keep growing at the rate they are then I am going to end up an albino. An albino with freckles, because yes, I still get freckles, and some of those little suckers are right next to the white spots. Let me rephrase. Getting. Old. Sucks.

So indulge me while I share with you what my arms and legs look like. A fetching shade of brown acquired from two weeks in the Stradbroke Island sun. Accessorise this with a liberal sprinkling of mis-sized white spots, jazzed up with a smattering of misshapen freckles. Total freak.

Nothing makes these babies go away. Trying to be a bit clever I faked tanned them. Oh what a fetching colour of brown they became. I looked like a chocolate dalmatian. I can’t cover them up with makeup because I live in tropical Queensland and nothing, I repeat nothing, will stay on my skin. I could stay out of the sun or I could resort to laser treatment if I had the funds.

Apparently that’s what Nicole Kidman did to get rid of all her sun damage. She got her whole body lasered. That’s why she’s the poster child for sun-safety: swathed in sun smothering clothes and sun screen. And good on her. Did you see her in BMX Bandits?  Well I would have done something too. But doing something when you’re 20 and something when you’re 40? Not sure about that.

So if anyone has any great ideas about what I can do, feel free to let me know. I’ll just be hanging out here with a sharpie, playing connect the dots with my white spots.

 

Reader Feedback

15 Responses to “WTF? Has anyone else got these?”

  1. Jess says:

    Wow. I don’t have white spots yet but I guess it’s something to look forward to. I think someone’s telling you it’s time to get out of the sun.

  2. Kellie says:

    Thanks Jess. That’s you and the dermo with great advice.

  3. Shelly says:

    Hey girl I am a 40 year old mother of two and man is it starting to show. I have the same spots on me at first they started around my neckline, then they moved to my legs, and just today they started showing up on my arms.This spread all over in about a two month period I went to my doctor and he said it’s some kind of yeast infection and could take up to a year to go away. I can’t remember what he called it but if you would like I can call his office and find out the name for you. Good Luck

  4. Kellie says:

    Damn, I’ve had these for more than a year. Think they might just be old age. Thanks for your advice. Appreciate it.

  5. Vicki says:

    Yes I have these, I am in my early 40’s & they are only on my lower legs (front only) & forearms. I have had them since my 30’s & they really show up if I am tan. They are increasing over time. :(

  6. Kellie says:

    I’ve given up the sun and taken to fake tanning. Sort of covers them up and blends them in. Wrinkles I was prepared for, white spots not so much.

  7. Lynda says:

    Just this year, as a real senior I got a few at my ANKLE AREA AND LOWER ARMS, JUST THE PLACES THAT ARE HARD TO KEEP FROM THE SUN. I WENT TO THE DR THINKING SOMETHING COULD BE DON????? NO!!???

    How can it be that I am unaware of this?

  8. Kellie says:

    Lynda, I consider it my mission to find a cure.. The person at the health food shop told me it was a copper deficiency. Could bear investigation.

  9. Kellie says:

    Lynda, hi I saw your comment about Selsun Blue being helpful, but for the life of me I have no idea where the comment has gone. Anyway, thanks for that–Selsun Blue is very doable.

  10. Helen says:

    So glad I found this website Kellie, I was searching for something else when I stumbled across it. I remember seeing these spots on the fronts of my legs when I was in my early 20’s (now 42), have seen them over time and a few develop on my arms…and yes like fellow readers…with freckles too (oh joy). However, having just been on my first proper tanning holiday in about 8 years the blooming things have gone wild – mostly on my legs…but what with white legs (tan followed), veins & mosquito bites, I looked delightful next to all the glam babes with blemish free legs on holiday. Not depressed at all, lots to be thankful for, but bloomin heck do I have to have them all..!! Grateful for product advice, will research and have a G&T ;)

  11. Kellie says:

    Oh Helen, that is my dilemma. I holiday in the sun all the time. The last few years I have just stayed out of the sun yet the little spotty blighters keep on coming. That’s my mispent youth catching up with me.

  12. Whit says:

    This is an issue for me in my mid 20’s . I was recommended to stay out of sun, and SPF! They will appear when u are tan so I fake tan now. All those yes of tanning beds ugh! I’ve looked into applying vitamin c serum and retinol to help. If I could laser I would they r annoying !

  13. denise says:

    I think it depends on what causes the white spots. There is the possibility that you are losing pigment with age, but it is much MORE common that this is caused by a fungus, like yeast, and can be cured with anything like Selsun Blue, athlete’s foot creme, or metronidizole. I think it is called tinneas versicolor or something like that. This fungus is more common on people in tropical areas, which offer the perfect combination of moist and warm that fungus so loves. It also happens to people who work out a lot cause they are moist and warm a lot from sweating. I JUST noticed two little tiny ones of these on my upper thigh. I’m putting athlete’s foot cream on them every night and washing it off every morning. We’ll see if that cures it.

  14. Kellie says:

    Keep us posted. Hope it works for you Denise.

  15. Kellie says:

    Oh if only I had your wisdom at 20 Whit, I wouldn’t look like a reverse dalmatian puppy now.

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