Melasma Treatment

Melasma Symptoms

Melasma are patches of skin that are darker than your usual skin color. This happens when your skin produces excessive amounts of melanin. The patches typically develop around the ages of 20 and 40 years. Melasma on the face is often the most common place that these dark patches appear. The patches are symmetrical, with matching marks on both sides of the face. While the face is the most common location, these patches also appear on other parts of the body that are exposed to the sun.

Melasma are brownish-colored patches that usually appear on the:

• Cheeks
• Forehead
• Bridge of the nose
• Chin
• Temples
• Neck
• Forearms

Although the skin discoloration does not cause any physical harm, it can be embarrassing and can make you feel self-conscious. Unfortunately, melasma cannot be cured, but it can be effectively managed with sun protection measures and dermatologic care.

Melasma Skin Causes and Risk Factors

It’s not totally clear what causes melasma, but there are some factors that have been thought to trigger the condition.

• Skin tone – those with darker skin are at more risk than those with fair skin
• Hormones – estrogen and progesterone sensitivity are also associated with this condition. Pregnancy and oral contraceptives can trigger melasma because of the increase of estrogen in the body.
• Stress
• Thyroid disease
• Genetics – if you have family members who have melasma, you are more likely to develop the condition
• Sun exposure

Melasma Types and Diagnosis

Your doctor can typically diagnose melasma just by examining the area. Melasma will present itself as bilateral, asymptomatic, light-to-dark brown macules, or patches with irregular borders. Your melasma will be separated into a certain type, depending on the level of increased melanin in the skin:

• Epidermal Melasma
  These are dark brown with a well-defined border. Treatment for this type usually has a good response.
• Dermal Melasma
  The borders on this type of melasma are ill-defined. These are light brown to blue-grey in color. Treatment for this type of melasma usually has a poor response.
• Mixed Melasma
  This is the most common type of melasma. These patches are blue-grey, light, and dark brown in color. Treatment with this usually shows partial improvement.

  If your doctor thinks the area looks suspicious, they may perform some tests:

  • Wood’s lamp examination
    A special kind of light is held up to the skin. The light will show your doctor if there are any bacterial or fungal infections. It will also show your dermatologist just how deep the melasma penetrates the skin.
  • Biopsy
    This will involve removing a small piece of the skin so it can be examined. A dermatologist can safely and quickly perform a skin biopsy during your office visit.