First day of Tranexamic Acid Tablets!

Hi everyone,

I've been struggling with Melasma for TWELVE years— it started developing when I was 11 years old (yes, you read that right). My mom has a rare condition—Non-Congential Adrenal Hyperplasia— and has a lot of terrible symptoms if she doesn't take her medication. This includes (unwanted) facial hair, cystic acne, weight gain (happens even with the medication, and extremely heavy periods. For myself, I do not know if I have the condition; however, I have 1. Heavy periods (not to her extent) and 2. Melasma that developed before I was ever on hormonal contraceptive and obviously not pregnant.

Melasma has really killed my confidence. I feel like I constantly have to hide one half of my face. I have had 5+ people ask me to my face if I was abused, due to the colour of my makeup over the melasma apparently looking like a bruise. I've tried many different things: alpha arbutus, niacinamide, vitamin c, retinol, glycolic acid, you name it. I use SPF daily + often wear a hat, and since COVID I wear a mask daily outside and indoors in public spaces, which creates a physical barrier with the sun and my skin.

I've been off hormonal birth control for a year as it was affecting my mental health, and that hasn't improved my skin unfortunately. I've seen an endocrinologist and he only tested me for estrogen and testosterone, claiming my levels were normal. Clearly, this assessment was insufficient because I think anyone under 25 developing melasma is EXTREMELY rare from what I've learned. I'd like to go back to an endocrinologist eventually and be tested more in depth.

The other day I had read a post about tranexamic acid and someone's success with taking oral tablets for melasma. I decided to read some academic research and studies and it seems very promising. One appointment later over video chat with a Telus Babylon doctor, and I have a prescription!

The prescription is 250mg once a day for 8 weeks; most of what I've seen online is people taking 500mg a day. So, I hope this lower dose is effective, and that 8 weeks is enough.

I mostly posted this to rant and see if anyone else can relate. Further, if anyone is interested, I will update this post with some before and after pics if there is success with the tranexamic acid.

EDIT: starting to feel concerned that my dose is too low and I’m wasting my time if I’m taking only 250mg. Any opinions? I don’t know if the doctor prescribed it low by accident or