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Sandy (Bangalore, India ) on 04/09/2008
5 out of 5 stars

Reply to Lisa.

04/08/2008: Lisa from Santa Fe, New Mexico writes: "I've read all your suggestions and thoughts about melasma. I must admit, this is the most feedback I've seen thus far! I too suffer from this disgusting patchy face look. I have it on my cheeks, forehead and upperlip just like most of you. I've tried creams, OTC and prescription, the only thing that faded was my money! I've tried Apple cider vinegar and currently trying a cream with "tepezcohuite" a mexican remedy. So far its been 3 days and I know I must give it some time, I wanted to wake up and see instant results but thats dreaming. I plan to give it 4-6 months of fair trying. I'll keep you posted on how its working for me. if all else fails, I'm interested in the hydrogen peroxide remedy. Has anybody heard about laser tx? I'm getting desperate that I'm thinking about that route. I'm at my wits end with melasma. I feel people are concentrating on my melasma rather than me"

My aunt had melasma. She started doing Kapalbhati pranayam and the melasma reduced within a few weeks and went away completely in a couple of months. In India, yoga master Ramdev Baba's style of doing kapalbhati Pranayam is the most popular. Here is the link to see how it is done:

http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Kapal Bhati Pranayam

If you do it, do write back in a month to let us all know if your melasma has faded. Good wishes! (I do kapalbhati everyday for other health benefits and like Ramdev Baba says, it seems to cure all problems.)

Replied By Laurence (Granger, Indiana) on 08/11/2008

To Sandy from Bangalore: I have started doing Kapalbhati as you recommend. I watched the link you gave and I would like to know if you or your aunt do kapalbhati every day? once or several times a day? and how long 5, 10, 15 mn?

Replied By Sandy (Bangalore, India) on 08/13/2008

To Laurence from Granger, Indiana:

Yes Laurence, I and my aunt (my mom too, and a whole lot of other family members) do kapalbhati regularly.
(Swami Ramdev's yoga is currently a big craze in India, and he has millions of followers).

When we started doing, we did it for 2 minutes at a time, and three-two times per day. So you can do it multiple times, but always on an empty stomach (about 3-4 hours after you last ate). As we got more accustomed to doing it, we increased the period gradually...eg. now we are able to do kapalbhati for 20 minutes each time, twice a day. However, doing 20 minutes per day once (or 10 minutes twice a day hence 20 minutes totally per day) is also enough.

Please take care to do kapalbhati (forceful exhalation) with medium force--it should be more forceful than normal breathing, but not so forceful that it makes you feel giddy.

Good luck! When you get results, please post back on earthclinic about the success. Kapalbhati is a Master Pranayam that cures multiple problems...so if it helped you in any other way, other than melasma, please write feedback on that also.

Replied By Laurence (Granger, USA) on 08/17/2008

To Sandy from Bangalore: Thank you very much Sandy for your information. I really appreciate it. I have been doing Kapalbhati for just a few minutes per day and I am going to increase doing it. I will write my feedback after a few weeks.

Replied By Vedika (Kolkata, India) on 10/07/2008

Dear Sandy from Bangalore,

I started doing Kapalbhatti Pranayaam 4 days back. Yesterday, i found this post on net and was really happy about it as it increased my hopes. You must be knowing that Melasma is a very depressing condition.

I would like to know how long did your aunt have Melasma and where all? Was it in the superficial layer of the skin or had it moved to inner layer too?

Please answer whatever you can, i will be very grateful... I will also keep posting if i see any improvements.....

Replied By Sandy (Bangalore, India) on 10/10/2008

Vedika,

You are lucky you are in India as you can view Aastha channel for indepth information on yoga and pranayam (see Ramdev Baba's yoga programs).

To answer your questions....
1. My aunt had melasma on her cheeks (I dont know where else she had).She had melasma for almost 2 years, and it was quite prominent. I think it took her around 6-8 months of Pranayam to completely rid herself of melasma.

2. I suggest you do 10 minutes of Anulom-vilom pranayam after doing Kapalbhati.
Ramdev Baba says that when you do Kapalbhati and Anulom-Vilom pranayams (the master pranayams) daily, it will regenerate the entire body in 9 months, and rid you of all diseases.

Good Luck, and please update on what helped you finally, onto this website, as it will help many others.

Replied By Vedika (Kolkata, India) on 10/10/2008

Thank you Sandy. I am really grateful. I am doing both the prayanams since one week and i will keep posting if i see any changes..... My melasma is on the upperlips and not extremely prominent but it is in such a place that it really makes me feel bad. Also, i do not have any other medical problems. So, i hope its might work sooner on me......

Actually after starting these prayanams i am feeling a lot better mentally and despite the melasma, my face is glowing .. i am very hopeful about the results...

Replied By Vedika (Kolkata, India) on 03/30/2009

As i mentioned i too have melasma... I did Kapalbhati pranayam for a month in october and stopped doing it....Now i have started doing it religiously since last two months and i can see results... My skin is improving.... I plan to continue it and the results of past two months has made me hopeful that Kapalbhati will help me get rid of this condition..... Thank you Sandy, If not for your post i would not have started doing it again, That was the only post i found relating yoga to cure of melasma.....will keep posting....Best wishes for Good health and healthy skin to you all!!

Replied By Sumita (Akron, Ohio) on 07/14/2009

Dear Sandy from Bangalore, I am Sumita from US, I have melasma and I would like to know if your aunt is still continuing with pranayams and how is her skin now? Also can u give me ur mail address (if psbl), i just wanted to discuss a few pranayam techniques with u.

Replied By Sandy (sandhya) (Bangalore, India) on 07/15/2009

Dear Sumita from Ohio,

1. I have no personal experience of curing melasma, so I cannot answer about specific techniques to be used. But yes, my aunt was cured of melasma by doing pranayam (Kapalbhati, anulom-vilom)
2. If you want to learn how to do, use search terms like 'Kapalbhati, Baba Ramdev, yoga' in Google and you will get excellent videos on the same.
3. A fast track way of starting on pranayams will be to do the 'Art of Living Basic Course'. I believe they have an upcoming course session in Ohio too:
http://secure.artofliving.org/courses.aspx?state=ALL&city=All&type=1
Rush for it...definitely do the course, practice their pranayam for 3 months and I (almost) promise you will be very very happy with the outcome!! Try it. And please, when you get results, post feedback.

Replied By Sumita (Akron, Ohio) on 07/15/2009

Thanks, I understand that u are not expert but u r certainly helpful... I do pranayams regularly (Both that u hv mentioned)... and i looking forward to the day i can post a feedback that my melasma is gone...

I want to know a few things from you and i will be grateful if u can answer them...

1. What was the reason for ur aunts melasma (BCP, Pregnancy, stress?
2. Is she still doing pranayams and is her face still completely clear?
3. Does she or did she avoid sun and take precautionary measures while in the sun? If yes what?
4. Any diet changes that she made?
5. Did she do anything else too like dietary supplements or something?
6. Were these two the only pranayams she was doing?

I know these are a lot of questions but i will be very grateful, if u answer them. Please answer whatever you can? Thank you for posting this to help others.

Replied By Sandy (Sandhya) (Bangalore, India) on 07/16/2009

Hi Sumita,

Answers below:

1. What was the reason for ur aunts melasma (BCP, Pregnancy, stress?
Answer: menopause, stress

2. Is she still doing pranayams and is her face still completely clear?
HER FACE IS COMPLETELY CLEAR. SHE HAD MELASMA ON CHEEKS, NOW HER CHEEKS ARE CLEAR AND GLOWING.

Yes, she drinks 2 glasses water in the mornings on an empty stomach and does pranayam and yoga. she does this for atleast 30-40 mins first thing in the morning. When she started benefiting from all this, she got really enthusiatic and would often repeat the pranayam and yoga in the evenings...always on an empty stomach (3-4 hours since last food intake)

3. Does she or did she avoid sun and take precautionary measures while in the sun? If yes what?

Answer: She doesnt particularly avoid sun, nor does she spend substantial time in the sun.
She uses Lacto calamine as a suncreen {it has natural ingredients, forms a physical barrier against the sun (not a chemical barrier), and is a good treatment for scarring and pigmentation)

4. Any diet changes that she made?
Answer: She always had a very clean diet. She is vegetarian, eats loads of fruits. She is quite diet and health conscious.

5. Did she do anything else too like dietary supplements or something?
Answer: She eats chyawanprash daily. She underwent some treatment for managing menopause and related discomfort such as hot flashes.

6. Were these two the only pranayams she was doing?
Answer: Like I mentioned above, pranayam and yoga as taught by Baba Ramdev. Ramdev teaches a set of 5 pranayams (google search will show the 5 pranayams), that he says will cure any condition in 9 months. She did all these 5 pranayams, plus yoga. I mentioned only kapalbhati and anulom-vilom as Ramdev says these 2 are the master pranayams and if you cant do all 5, then do these 2.

There are good yoga CDs by Ramdev available online. You can find them by doing a google search.
Good Luck!
I highly recommend the Art of Living basic course, for a fab detox for the body and mind. This will really prepare your body and mind for quick healing.

Replied By Sumita (Akron, Ohio) on 07/16/2009

Thanks sandhya, this is very helpful. I will definitely post if this helps me and I am hoping it will.

Replied By Sangeetha (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) on 07/16/2009

All of Baba Ramdev's DVDs are available to watch for free on youtube.com. Just type 'Baba Ramdev' on you tube and you will see everything.

Replied By Sam (Melbourne, Victoria) on 12/10/2009

hi this is sam from melbourne. I learnt pranayam when i was in Nepal watching Aastha channel. Its not only good for your skin but good for your entire body and eliminates every complications. It is the last thing on earth that has the ability to eliminate every diseases. I do kapal bhati and anulom bilom and it has helped me lot for my freckles. cheers!

Replied By Sonu (San Jose, Ca) on 12/14/2009

Hi Sandy,

Can you please let me know if your aunt is still melasma free ? Is it completely gone or is it faded ? I have also started anulom vilom and kalpabhati regularly.

Replied By Sue (Girraween, Nsw, Australia) on 02/01/2010

Hi,

Re Melasma.. can you dilute the GSE and use it on your face? Will this have any effect on the melasma?

Thank you... I am desperate.

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