ALA as a solution for discoloration

Dam my shaft is hairy enough, I don’t want to have to shave twice a day

My discoloration is totally gone using my ALA mix. It works.

And here is some more recent info on the validity of the approach.

From the Linus Pauling Institute’s web page:

Q: There has been some speculation that age-related iron accumulation in the brain may cause problems. How does lipoic acid affect this, and do you think that long-term supplementation with lipoic acid might help prevent iron accumulation in the brain?

A: We just completed a relevant study in our laboratory in collaboration with Dr. Balz Frei, which suggests that lipoic acid chelates, or binds to, iron and other metals very strongly. This has been known for some time, but our recent work shows that lipoic acid will bind free metal ions so that they cannot catalyze free radical production. Iron is a double-edged sword for the cell. On the one hand, we need it for metabolic processes. However, free iron that is not bound and tightly held in proteins can catalyze free radical reactions. It appears that we accumulate free iron and other metals that can catalyze free radical reactions as we age. The amount of iron in certain regions of the brain doubles or even increases four-fold with age. We have evidence that at least part of that accumulation consists of iron capable of catalyzing free radical production. We wanted to find out if lipoic acid could bind to metals in living organisms and looked at age-related iron accumulation in the rat brain as well as how that is affected by lipoic acid supplementation. We fed lipoic acid to old and young animals for two weeks and analyzed their overall iron and copper levels and oxidative stress parameters. We found a dramatic reversal in the age-related increase in iron and copper in the elderly rats. Remarkably, the iron levels in old rats actually decreased to levels seen in young animals, but didn’t go lower than those normally observed in young animals. This suggests that lipoic acid is not removing iron from proteins that need it, but is simply eliminating excess iron. Improvements in cognitive function and oxidative stress parameters significantly correlated with the decline in iron levels. We were able to substantially lower levels of oxidative damage to DNA and proteins that correlated with this overall equilibration of iron levels in the aging rat brain.

Shoot it works?? That’s great! However, I just went and spent 19 bucks on this Ultraquin 4% Hydroquinone Cream USP so I’m kind of bumbed out. It’s for “To lighten hyperpigmented skin” … which is something you get from the sun not PE exersizes I know that but.. I figured I’d try anyway.

Now I really wanna get my hands on some ALA cream but it’s hard to find in local stores I think, and I can’t use my credit card to order online (maxed out).

What do you think about this skin lightening cream gstlynx? I’m wondering if I should forget about the cream and buy some ALA.

This would be great news, as the wrapping and arnica I have been trying do not seem to be helping me.

If I mix the ALA powder with my jelq lube (vasaline), would it still be effective? What would be a good, common medium to to mix it with?

Has anyone found a good topical ALA cream at Walmart, Rite-Aid, or local pharmacy?

Could someone help Smilingbob and I out with mixing ALA power?

Does anyone know of any topical ALA creams availible?

I suppose I’ll go down to the health/vitimin store and see if they have ALA power but then I still need to learn how to mix it properly.. it seems like these type of directions cost money on the internet.

I received some R-ALA powder from beyond a century the other day, I have mixed some with a small amount of arnica gel. I am applying it about four to five times a day. I wonder how easily the ALA will penetrate the skin? I have some DMSO I could mix it with, I understand it is a good trans dermal.

Too bad gstlynx is not around to continue the discussion. I’m going to pursue the ALA avenue; however, I’m sure that I’ll be peeling until I get things right.

I did still consider the hydroquinone route. Here’s a dermatology atlas link to "post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation." http://dermatla s.med.jhmi.edu/ … eID=-1643486211

The blotches on her face look like the underside of my shaft around the circumcision scar. The rest of my shaft is "bronzed" from hemosiderin deposits from way too much high pressure wrapping and squeezing. If the color didn’t end so abruptly about 1/4" to 1/2" before the point where my shaft meets my pubic skin, it wouldn’t be too bad. I’ve considered using some type of thin wrap extra close to the pubic bone to incorporate more of the shaft to even the "bronzing" out. It looks really tan!

The underside is just ridiculous. It has to be cured. So, I’ll skip the micro-thin wrapping and give the r-ALA a shot. Depending how that fails or succeeds, I’ll throw in the hydroquinone after a few weeks.

heay JimBone

“If the color didn’t end so abruptly about 1/4” to 1/2” before the point where my shaft meets my pubic skin, it wouldn’t be too bad.”

That’s exactly it eh! The base doesn’t get the pressure (hence the discoloration) applied simply because it’s physically impossible to get a grip low enough down the shaft. But even if it was lower, while that would help a LOT for the appearance but it’d still look strange un the underside where you can see that the skin changes light again, on the ball sack.

Right now I’m experimenting with Nutrigena “Build-a-tan” .. but it’s not the same color as my discoloration, it looks kind of like the color of poop :( but I’m gunna keep applying it till I at least get dark at the base of my penis.. that way it’s two different dark colors rather than a light and a dark color.

One more thing, I’ve been using “Derma E, ALA/green teat” cream and it’s supposed to be a 1% ALA mixture but I’m not getting much out of that, probably not applying it often enough and I don’t think it’s “R-ALA” just ALA so maybe that’s the problem … I might buy R-ALA capsils so I can open em up and mix with some kind of cream.

all right, anyone have anything to add to this?

I’m about 2 weeks into my discoloration treatment with ALA. I’m not seeing any improvement that is noteworthy at this point. I mixed up a 2% solution using ALA gel caps from GNC. After the first week, I re-mixed a 3% solution. Now, after application, I can feel a tingling in my unit.

I don’t think this is r-ALA. I might have to purchase some in powdered form and keep at it. I’m going to give this stuff 4 weeks. If I haven’t seen any improvements, then I’ll try a known r-ALA product. Then, it’s on to hydroquinone(sp).

Current application is twice per day - sometimes three times per day. At each application, I take some time to rub it in well (read that as “stroking the bone” for a bit).

I’ll post back in a couple of weeks.

Hey Guys,

This is one really incredible thread - loaded with great info. I have a suggestion. If you are trying to formulate transdermal creams to get ALA into your tissues to tackle pigmentation and discoloration, why re-invent the wheel? Maybe a look into what our women do (as they have been working on the problem ever since Moses was a corporal) might be beneficial.

For example, here’s a link to an ALA cream the ladies use:

Now this is NOT a product recommendation. It is an example of what’s out there. Is the ALA in this formulation the correct isomer? I don’t know but to be commercially successful the transport mechanism for transdermal penetration has been worked out.

Generally, all components in a transdermal formulation are micronized to submicron sized particles as part of mixing and homogenizing. Taking ALA powder and trying to make your own cream or mixing it in with an existing cream might have mixed results. If the ALA fully dissolves in any oil or water in the formulation and, at the same time, does not affect the transdermal mechanism then it should work. Those are big Ifs.

I’m not suggesting ALA creams won’t work - they will! ALA is a fantastic chelator and the biochemistry is well worked out. That’s why women’s cosmetics and beatuy creams are all over antioxidants like Vitamin C and now ALA. I’m just suggesting that maybe the place to look for additional ammunition on this very worthwhile quest might be to find a really good Transdermal Vitamin C and/or ALA cream that the ladies use. So, ask the ladies what they use - nothing like getting it straight from a satisfied customer.

Just a Thought,

MrTiPS

Another Possibility -

Compounding pharmacists in your geographic areas should have the equipment to make transdermal creams. Many of them do it to make the progesterone creams and other Hormone Replacement topical materials that many people (both women and men) need and use.

If you can find a compounding pharmacist ask him/her if they could make a transdermal cream that contained the correct concentration of R-ALA. These people generally have the materials and expertise to make a successful cream.
This might take the guess work out of the cream formulation.

Many women that have had to take progesterone creams have had to find a compounding pharmacist to make up their medication. They might know who to ask.

And, a lot of the commercial creams such as DermaE may well use mixed isomers of ALA which is another reason to maybe go to a compounding pharmacist. Go to school on the commercial formulations that the ladies use - then take that formualtion to a compounding pharmacist and substitute in the correct R-ALA to get what you want.

All the Best,

MrTiPS

I have an idea for discoloration, exfoliating and even more extreme, "peeling".
http://www.derm adoctor.com/pag … wsletter140.asp

I’ve really done a number on my penis skin, it actually scabbed and peeled away and is now healing. I’ve got both discoloration and now, areas that peeled away and grew new skin are the old light color skin, goodness! But I’m past the dread feeling and just dealing with it.

I was thinking the other day that, since the scabbing and peeling away produced in a round about way, a cure for discoloration (although only on patches of my penis) maybe a heavy exfoliation job may do the trick. So I started reading about it and came across something even heavier, "Alpha Hydroxy Peels" or even "Chemical Peels" … here is a link giving information about chemical peels, there’s 4 variations/intensities of the "operation"… please read and comment, I really think this may be a cure for discoloration but, one that requires much care and sound judgement.

BTW… I no longer do intense 45 minute Uli sessions which did the damage in the first place, I’m pumping now which only takes 10 minutes to get the same effect with little to no discoloration.

Update on switch to a hydroquinone bases cream: after 6 weeks of using an over-the-counter skin fading cream with 2% hydroquinone base, about 60% of the discoloration has faded. In actuality, it’s only been 5 weeks as I finished the first jar after a month and was unable to return to the store for nearly a week.

I have been doing ZERO PE since starting this treatment. Fortunately, I have not lost a single millimeter of my gains which I paid for in flying colors!

My goal is to remove this discoloration for now, then return to PE with a different approach.

I suppose I could take a trip to a doctor and attain a prescription for 4% hydroquinone, but I’m hopeful that my 3 per day application technique will be successful over time. I’m willing to go to the new year attempting this.

Starting in November, I will use a rice sock prior to each application.

Update to follow.

Update———————

Mr Tips, I appreciate the input!

Although I haven’t pursued many of the routes outlined above by the three of us, I am improving my skin tone and am really glad I didn’t ignore this subject!

My peeled skin healed, and was like I said before, a bright color compared to the rest of the shaft which didn’t peel away. I began pumping once I healed and noticed that the pumping was evening out my discoloration which was in a sense good AND bad. Pumping does seem to give me discoloration but I can manage it much better.

On top of this, I found a new product by Vasaline containing Alpha Hydroxy Acid, Vitamin A and E which I now use for my PE sessions and as an all day lotion. The Alpha Hydroxy Acid really does lighten dark skin and even out skin tone!

So my penis color is finally balancing out (although I definitely retain much discoloration) and I’m seeing girth gains from “moderate” pumping!

If I’m understanding this correctly, topically applied ALA absorbs relatively easily. I don’t know how well plain water will work. Seems to me some should soak in if the skin is dry to start with and is kept damp with the solution for long enough, but I really don’t have a clue.

Biochem Pharmacol. 1996 Aug 23;52(4):627-33.

Kinetic study of cutaneous and subcutaneous distribution following topical application of [7,8-14C]rac-alpha-lipoic acid onto hairless mice.

Podda M, Rallis M, Traber MG, Packer L, Maibach HI.

University of California Berkeley, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology 94720-3200, USA.

To diminish oxidative injury, topically applied antioxidants must reach susceptible cells. alpha-Lipoic acid is a potent thiol antioxidant that might be useful for skin protection; therefore, its skin penetration kinetics were assessed. The cutaneous and subcutaneous distributions of [7,8-14C]rac-alpha-lipoic acid were studied in anesthetized hairless mice after application of a 5% solution in propylene glycol for 0.5 to 4 hr. The mice were killed; then the skin was washed, and the stratum corneum was removed by 10 cellophane tape strippings. A punch biopsy of the frozen, stripped skin was sectioned, and amounts of [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid were determined in strippings and slices of epidermis (4 x 5 microns), dermis, and subcutaneous fat (10 x 10 microns, 20 x 20 microns). The rate of [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid absorption into skin was constant by 30 min (0.10 +/- 0.01 nmol/cm2/min); maximum skin concentrations were reached by 2 hr. The [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid penetration kinetics into the first layer of the stratum corneum predicted its penetration through the stratum corneum and subsequent percutaneous absorption (r2 = 0.96, P < 0.02). Cutaneous absorption of unlabeled alpha-lipoic acid and its reduction to the more potent antioxidant form, dihydrolipoic acid, were also demonstrated, using HPLC analysis with electrochemical detection. In conclusion, alpha-lipoic acid topically applied to skin penetrated readily, and was reduced to dihydrolipoic acid. Thus, alpha-lipoic acid could potentiate skin antioxidant protection.

PMID: 8759036 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Last night I added just enough water to about 50 mg ALA (cheap stuff from Wal-Mart) to make a watery paste and applied it to my shaft, rubbing it in for about 5 minutes. Not knowing how the acid would affect my skin I cut the test run short. After 10 minutes or so I felt the beginnings of a tingly sensation, so I washed it off and rubbed on a paste of baking soda and water, then rinsed again.

Figuring that mixture was too potent, I decided to make a roughly 1% solution of ALA. It has been a long time since chemistry class. This page says:

Assuming this is how one arrives at a certain percentage of ALA solution, I used about 1/3 of a 100mg ALA capsule dissolved in 3cc warm water. If I’m wrong on this, please correct me. It sure looked like it was a lot stronger than what I’d deem a 1% solution.

It didn’t want to dissolve thoroughly in the short time I mixed it. Maybe a longer soak would help. I applied this slowly, rubbing it in well. Next time I’ll substitute some of my arnica lotion for part of the water. It contains propylene glycol. I assume the pg is for helping stuff absorb, but I’m not sure about this.

Someone asked earlier in this thread if arnica would interfere with absorption. Some arnica mixtures contain vaseline (petrolatum). I’d think the grease would plug skin pores and reduce or prevent absorption, not only of the ALA but also of the arnica. The standard advice here has been to avoid greasy arnica mixtures. Bib said the only kind that worked for him was in liquid.