Things To Know About Melasma

Melasma is known to be one of the most common skin disorders especially amongst women. It usually appears on the areas of the face which are regularly exposed to the sun. Various levels of discoloration on the face are commonly diagnosed as Melasma. Dermatologists suggest that the rise in the level of female hormones such as Progesterone and Estrogen is the main cause of Melasma. Pregnancy is a common stage in women where they will experience various hormonal imbalances which may be the reasons behind Melasma.  Melasma is commonly cited as the pregnancy mask where women experience darker skin patches during pregnancy. Oral contraceptives are also known to cause Melasma. Melasma is more common to manifest on those who have deep colored skin.

It is more common for women to have Melasma than Men. It would be rare to contract Melasma during the pre-reproductive stages.   Melasma is also known in certain cases as facial hyper pigmentation. Most cases of skin hyper discoloration is due to unprotected sun exposure. Studies show that Melasma as a condition may also be acquired from family members.

Melasma has several known types.  The mildest form of skin pigmentation is known as Epidermal Melasma which involves only the outer skin layer.  A more severe condition of Melasma is where the pigments are located much deeper than the outer layer which is termed as Dermal Melasma. Certain situations may even have both Epidermal and Dermal Melasma present on several areas of the face.

For those who want to get rid of Melasma and other unsightly skin pigmentations, it would be best to consult a dermatologist.    Avoid self medication and over the counter acid peels as these may worsen the condition or add darker skin spots if not used properly. There will be a set of medications a dermatologist may recommend to help clear out Melasma. Topical medications like creams and liquid peeling agents may be prescribed for simple cases of Melasma while others may need to undergo more superior treatments like laser. For basic cases of Melasma, a chemical peel using topical medications would be the most common prescription to balance the skin color. Chemical peels for some may not be as safe due to the strong medication that may cause the skin to feel irritated especially during peeling. The diamond peel or Microdermabrasion is another option involving a non-chemical based process of stripping the outer layer of the skin.

Parts where Melasma is more observable would be the cheeks, upper lip and nose areas.  UV protection such as sunscreen lotions and creams help avoid Melasma and skin darkening caused by the sun’s harmful rays. Apply sunscreen protection regularly throughout the face and even the neck and nape.   Applying sun block lotions or creams regularly throughout the day will ensure that your skin is fully protected from the harmful rays of the sun thus preventing the occurrence of Melasma.

Melasma And Its Treatment

Alternatively called chloasma, or the “mask of pregnancy,” melasma refers to a discoloration of the skin that generally appears as irregularly shaped dark, tan patches which generally affects a great number of pregnant ladies as well as women who make use of oral or patch contraceptives. Chloasma is also known to appear on women who are undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications. Individuals of Jewish, Russian, in addition to German descent have also been known to be susceptible to having facial pigmentation/discoloration thanks to melasma, which has been shown in recent studies on skin conditions.

The most usually afflicted parts of the body by melasma include the upper cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose, and lips, which can further in coverage as time progresses. Medically speaking, chloasma is a kind of skin discoloration brought on by the stimulation of melanocytes (the body’s pigment-producing cells) by sex hormones of the female, such as estrogen and progesterone, to produce abnormally big amounts of melanin when the skin is under too much sun for far too long.

Melasma treatment is sought after by many to remove the unsightly patches of tan skin which can mar one’s looks considerably. Fortunately for women who are taking contraceptives or are pregnant, their melasma typically fades away on its own, months after giving birth or after they stop using contraceptives. The same can also go for numerous women undergoing HRT.

There are several ways of melasma treatment which are basically done to help speed up the fading of the irregularly colored skin areas. Examples of methods of melasma treatment can consist of using a topical depigmenting agent called hydroquinone (HQ) that hinders the production of tyrosinase. This treatment works since tyrosinase is a necessary enzyme in the making of melanin. By using tretinoin as another way, this helps cure melasma by increasing the production of skin cells. It is unfortunate, though, that women who are carrying a child in their womb are forbidden from using this way of melasma treatment. Azelaic acid, when used, is another alternative method and works by hindering the activity of the melanocytes; chemical peels with glycolic acid and facial peels with alpha hydroxyacids can also serve as a means to erase melasma. A laser treatment using the Fraxel laser is also another way of melasma removal.

Treatment varies from case to case basis, since one method may be more effective than others for one person. But it is a fact that despite whatever kind of treatment technique one takes for melasma, that person must strictly refrain from being exposed to the sun once the treatment has started. The effects of any treatment will be seen gradually so during treatment, one should start staying away from the sun. For a successful treatment for melasma, it is recommended that you start to use sunscreen on your body and face.