It's a rubbish day for my pony collection :(

[MsTwilight]

Sorry to hear about poor Mimic and Icey.

It gets so humid here in the summer and with fish tanks in the house I have learned that the most important thing to have in your collection is a dehumidifier. Keeping ponies very clean and dry is how to prevent age spots. (I hate using the term "cancer" when it comes to ponies.)

I don't know about where you live but here dehumidifiers are going on clearance everywhere. It's a good time to add one to your house or pony room. 

[hathorcat]

Here we go...the solution is not mine - its reanna-mators and the pictures are hers too of course...

I was so sceptical about this but I have since tried it on a quarterback and it had an amazing effect - in addition I looked up and spoke to a couple of people on the science - who gave me a "of course that worked" look as though it should have been obvious all along lol

I've got before and after pics, guys! I recently got a gorgeous Braided Beauty with a dreaded brown mark with the darker spot in the center, and I thought now would be a great time to try this out. I wasn't too squeamish about poking her-- it's for her own good, and you really can hardly see the hole. I gave the spot a few treatments, and while the spot isn't gone, it's definitely less noticeable. Perhaps with more applications it could go away altogether.

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The photos don't detail it very well, but in person there is definitely a change!

And she was kind enough to answer a few questions...

Can I ask questions? 1) Did you have to poke the needle all the way through the plastic or just a couple of mms in? 2) How large a needle...just a basic common or garden sewing needle? 3) How long from the first treatment to the second picture?

So nosy....sorry 

No problem!

1) I was not able to poke the needle in that far. I actually punctured the skin while pushing it in, so I had to be gentle. It definitely did not penetrate all of the plastic. Deeper penetration may allow for more lightening, but it's hard to push it in when the side you're pushing from is fairly sharp as well.
2) Regular sewing needle. I used the thinnest one I had in my kit.
3) Just a minute or so. Like any stain, the acetone effect took place very quickly, so it wasn't as if it had to "soak in" or anything. What seemed to make the biggest difference was dabbing the new hole with a cloth soaked in acetone to get plenty of it down into the hole.

[mercynova]

Ah thanks for posting up that info The only thing I can say is maybe I should use pure acetone rather than the acetone nail varnish remover that I tried!

[partypony566]

I've just used pure acetone on my icey cancer dot and it's only lightened it by 20% or so.... And I punctured right through. .... The mark is still there though and still irritating me 

[Applejackgirl]

I am so sorry about your ponies, the same thing happened to my Tux   He is still my sweet boy though, I can't say no to his minty curls and give up.

[Henpatch]

First.... sweetie - there is nothing worse than discovering such issues and on 2 such ponies...I am so sorry -  sending you hugs.

First cancer is not "infectious" - its not going to spread across your herd. It is simply a break down in the plastic probably due to plasticisers and bromides. Its horrible but its pretty incurable. The colour is a result of the chemicals "breaking out and staining/damaging" the surrounding plastic. Its a yucky comparison but think of a nice apple, then the cells inside break down and the apple rots. 

However, I have seen some have success with reversal of the staining - it wont stop the breakdown completely and as the plastic breakdown has started in some of the plastic it will come back probably in other parts of the plastic. You "prick" a small hole in the plastic in the middle of the stain - drop acetone into the tiny hole...the acetone reacts with the bromide and changes the colour. Now the science bit and remember this is on a tiny tiny level - bromine has a brown colour [hence the staining] it reacts with the acetone and the Br-Br bond is broken thereby removing the brown colour and rendering the remaining product clear.

That is excellent Hathorcat! A great lesson and explanation!

Hope this helps with YOUR problems mercynova - you have probably helped a lot of us!

[Flutterwonder13]

I'm not good with vintage ponies. What are these "cancer spots" you speak of?

[hathorcat]

I'm not good with vintage ponies. What are these "cancer spots" you speak of?

As mentioned above cancer and age spots are a result of a breakdown in plastic - the breakdown can be caused by an outside influence [perhaps bacteria damaging the integrity of the plastic] or simply the flame retardant chemicals in the plastic "breaking out" by themselves - the breakdown causes damage to the plastic, the release of bromides, etc and thereby the "brown" tinge/spot.