First Visit to a Depigmentation Dr.

[Hi everybody][here updating about my last visit to Dr. Resnik who it's very familiar with depigmenation treatments using benoquin [monobenzone]
[all these questions were answer by dr Resnik wed oct 31. 2007]

HOW LONG IT TAKES TO FULLY DEPIG?
It’s hard to say, ‘cuz everybody it’s different. so no a time frame was given. but we all know that it’s pretty much depends on each individual. studies and personal experiences based on the vitiligo forum.. may take between 1 - 4 years to get fully depigmented.

IS MONOBENZONE THE ONLY DEPIG AGENT THAT KILLS MELANOCITES?
yes. It’s the only who can kills melanocites but we need to remember that melanocites live and are in hair follicles too. so even we could kill melanocities using monobenzone it’s always the possiblitily of repigmentation trough hair follicles or just being outside under the sun.

WHAT ABOUT PHENOL PEELS?
Phenol is the strongest of the chemical solutions and produces a deep peel. It is used mainly to treat patients with coarse facial wrinkles, areas of blotchy or damaged skin caused by sun exposure, or pre-cancerous growths. Since phenol sometimes lightens the treated areas, your skin pigmentation may be a determining factor as to whether or not this is an appropriate treatment for you. Phenol is primarily used on the face; scarring may result if it’s applied to the neck or other body areas.Dr. Resnik doesn’t support the idea in having phenols peels especially all over the body..
The main disadvantage of phenol is permanent skin pallor. After your redness has faded, your face will gradually turn ghostly white, which is irreversible, unnatural, and serves as a telltale sign that you have had this procedure performed. There is no way to smoothly transition from peeled to non-peeled skin, so a clear line of demarcation will exist. You may attempt to camouflage your appearance with make-up, but even heavy foundation may be inadequate. Because of the significant alteration in skin color, deep phenol peels are suited best to those with fair skin. Phenol peels are not appropriate for women with olive, brown, or black skin, as they will cause permanent disfigurement.
Other disadvantages include that your skin will never tan after a deep chemical peel. If you choose to tan the remainder of your body, an even greater discrepancy will exist between your previously peeled and non-peeled skin. If you are heavily freckled and have a full-face deep peel all facial freckles will be removed, creating unnatural disharmony with your freckled neck and chest. Deep peels are therefore not recommended for those who are heavily freckled.

IS DEPIGMENTATION PERMANENT?
this is one of my favorite questions and the answer it’s very interesting… “Permanent” yeah but like we said before even if we could kill all the melanocites in our body we still have the ones who are in our hair. so it’s not exaclty permanent the way “for ever” but it’s possible to keep repigmentation away using monobenzone and depending of the person it could be permanent especially for people with extensive vitiligo.

IS DEPIGMENTATION THE BEST OPTION FOR PEOPLE WITH VITILIGO?
Most doctors follow the guideline that a patient must be at least 50% involved with vitiligo before beginning depigmentation therapy. However, some doctors will prescribe monobenzone for those with lesser amounts of vitiligo if the existing vitiligo is concentrated in visible areas and is causing the patient considerable distress.
so the choise it’s pretty much all yours. of course if you don’t have vitiligo and you want to go for depigmentation. pretty much all dr’s will say not but again the choise is yours. they are a lot online sources where you can find monobenzone even without a prescription. as everybody is free to choose, if u do choose still going for depigmenation without having vitligo it’s your own personal choise under your own personal riks. so be aweare that is never safe buying drugs online specially cuz u never know where this drugs coming from or if they are safe to your body.

HOW MUCH IT COST?
you need to be ready for the cost. depending of your source it’s a drug that you will need for years so be ready. it’s not a estimate but money always will be involved in this.

STOPPING MONOBENZONE USE CAN HEL STRENGHT MELANOCITES?
DR. Resnik thinks that thi’s is not possible. it wont really happen.

CAN MONOBENZONE WORKS DEPIGMENTING A NORMAL SKIN WITHOUT VITILIGO?

yes it can work.

IS MONOBENZONE A SYSTEMIC DRUG?
DR. Resnik is not sure about these question. he will investigue more and hopelly soon we can have an aswer to this question but following the vitligo support inernational forum: It is a systemic drug, meaning it will travel throughout the body and remote areas will be affected. The depigmentation generally occurs as a gradual lightening of the skin, not as new spots of vitiligo.
hope all these questions are good for all of you and can help in a good way to undertsand more the process of depigmentation.