Insulin Resistance and Dark Patches :/

happierandstronger

Hi ladies,

I have a question about the dark patches related to insulin resistance. Do these dark patches go away as you lose weigh or is it something those with insulin resistance are stuck with for life? If it is something those with insulin resistance are stuck with is there a way to lighten these patches. Creams/Bio Oil?

I've tried googling this but can't seem to find a clear answer. Any help would be appreciated

angelams1019

I used to have dark patches between my boobs, on the insides of my arms (where they bend), and the back of my neck. Over time they have gone away completely (I've lost about 70 pounds). Also- at exactly 50 pounds lost my periods have been like clockwork, which I've never experienced before. Definitely proves that weight loss does help eleviate the symptoms of PCOS.

Good luck hun! :flowerforyou:

nataliescalories

The dark patches are called "acanthosis nigricans" it is a form of hyper pigmentation and won't really be helped by any topical methods. It can lighten and go away if PCOS is managed and hormone levels reach normal range. "hormonal changes cause hyperpigmentation, because the manufacture of melanin is greatly influenced by the endocrine system. The hormone pumped out by the pituitary gland that produces melanin is melanocyte-stimulating hormone, or MSH." Basically, it's a patch of extra hormone deposits (to super simplify).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001855/

Read more: What Causes Hyperpigmentation? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4922608_what-causes-hyperpigmentation.html#ixzz2Kl5Ym0E5:

Whirlagirl

I used to have dark patches between my boobs, on the insides of my arms (where they bend), and the back of my neck. Over time they have gone away completely (I've lost about 70 pounds). Also- at exactly 50 pounds lost my periods have been like clockwork, which I've never experienced before. Definitely proves that weight loss does help eleviate the symptoms of PCOS.

Good luck hun! :flowerforyou:

Ditto. I experienced the same lightening of dark patches on my chest and neck after falling below 300. So nice to see my regular skin tone again!

Best wishes on your journey!

countesscharleyangel

Yes, Unfortunately, I used to be heavier than I am now. When I lost weight, the patches went away.

kimimila86

I used to have dark patches between my boobs, on the insides of my arms (where they bend), and the back of my neck. Over time they have gone away completely (I've lost about 70 pounds). Also- at exactly 50 pounds lost my periods have been like clockwork, which I've never experienced before. Definitely proves that weight loss does help eleviate the symptoms of PCOS.

Good luck hun! :flowerforyou:

This post has given me hope. I'm so ashamed of my dark patches between my thighs. I had a horrible fear that even if I did lose all this weight, I'd never wear a swimming suit of any kind in public because of it. I guess we'll find out if I have the same results when I lose my weight. Congrats!!!

bec_232

The medication Spironalactone helps keep my dark patches at bay. I get them on my collar bone, upper lip, elbows, knuckles and majorly under my arm pits. Also exfoliate often helps. When I'm pregnant they get really bad because of the hormones and no meds, before I even gain any baby weight. The patches aren't related to my weight at all, its hormones.

happierandstronger

Thanks ladies! You have all been a huge help! I have the patches on my thighs and light ones on my arms so I am glad there is still hope of them being gone

plussizedvegetarian

This thread is speaking my language. For me NC has plagued me since I was an overweight child (around 8 yrs. old) and I still have this issue as a 30 year old. My bff and I were discussing it recently, so it's funny I should pop in and see this. That said, I've read and seen (not my own personal experience) that weight loss can improve or outright fix this issue. The most weight I've ever lost at once was 60 lbs. (from a starting weight of approximately 321 lbs. so I still had a long road ahead of me) years ago & it did not make my condition go away. Had I kept going...Maybe. Now I'm using Amlactin lotion (I've read on support forums that lactic acid can improve the condition) but I am in the beginning stages and cannot report success/fail as of yet.

Also a lot of people swear by Retin-A (my dermatologist wanted to put me on a Retin-A/hydroquinone regimen years ago) since I never fully went through with treatment, I can't comment. I'd recommend checking out Youtube videos w/the condition NC (I can't spell it at the moment, but other people in the post have lol) & treatment and you can find real-life women who have overcome this condition.

Best of luck to all of us who suffer from this, thanks for reading.

Pooh1981

This thread is speaking my language. For me NC has plagued me since I was an overweight child (around 8 yrs. old) and I still have this issue as a 30 year old. My bff and I were discussing it recently, so it's funny I should pop in and see this. That said, I've read and seen (not my own personal experience) that weight loss can improve or outright fix this issue. The most weight I've ever lost at once was 60 lbs. (from a starting weight of approximately 321 lbs. so I still had a long road ahead of me) years ago & it did not make my condition go away. Had I kept going...Maybe. Now I'm using Amlactin lotion (I've read on support forums that lactic acid can improve the condition) but I am in the beginning stages and cannot report success/fail as of yet.

Also a lot of people swear by Retin-A (my dermatologist wanted to put me on a Retin-A/hydroquinone regimen years ago) since I never fully went through with treatment, I can't comment. I'd recommend checking out Youtube videos w/the condition NC (I can't spell it at the moment, but other people in the post have lol) & treatment and you can find real-life women who have overcome this condition.

Best of luck to all of us who suffer from this, thanks for reading.

As I am the bff that she is talking about I do exfoliate on a regular basis also but I have noticed in the last little bit that I have NC on my inner thighs, arm pits lol and around my collarbone region. Well at least where my collarbones are supposed to be lol! I just realized it was NC not that long ago I get these rough patches on my collarbones and finally realized that is what is going on they aren't very dark yet Thank God but I know if I do gain weight they will eventually get darker! Love you, Girly!

glitteringloke

I have it between my breasts, back of my neck, and under arms. Mine seems to like to come and go on a whim, so i don't know if it's something i ate that will trigger it's resurgence or not.

When i was in high school my mom kept yelling at me to scrub my neck harder because it looked dirty. At one point i had scrubbed the area between my breasts until it was raw with no change. I wish i knew 15 years ago what i know now

plussizedvegetarian

*hugs * shout out @ Pooh1981, the person who pushed me to join MFP! To glitteringlok , I know exactly what you mean, mine affects my neck, inner thighs, and underarms. My mom thought my neck discoloration was related to me not washing it, back then no one really knew of this condition. I was probably the worst case of it I'd ever seen, and I remember using harsh anti-acne scrub by Avon to exfoliate a problem that went deeper than external skin cells.

happierandstronger

Thanks everyone for your replies! It's been so helpful to get advise from people going through the same think. Unfortunately my gyno never gave me any advise about this so nice to read about what others are doing to try and combat this. I think losing the weight seems to be the way to go with this for me