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, and German descent have also been known to be prone to having facial pigmentation/discoloration thanks to melasma, which has been shown in recent studies on skin conditions.
Melasma typically show ups on parts of the body such as the forehead, lips, nose, upper cheeks or upper lip and can increase in area with the passage of time. Medically speaking, chloasma is a type of skin discoloration caused 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.
Since the ugly patches of irregularly dark skin make a person unattractive, many individuals seek out melasma treatment to eliminate the traces of the skin condition. 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. This also applies for many women who are using HRT medications.
Melasma treatment can be done through different ways, mainly to help quicken the process of making the discolored areas fade away or become lighter. Some of these treatments for melasma removal include use of hydroquinone (HQ) which is a topical depigmenting agent that inhibits tyrosinase production. It is effective because of the fact that the enzyme tyrosinase is essential in the making of melanin. The use of tretinoin, another way, treats melasma through increasing the quantity of skin cells being made in the body. It is unfortunate, though, that women who are carrying a child in their womb are not allowed from using this way of melasma treatment. Azelaic acid, when used, is another alternative way 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 eliminate melasma. A laser treatment using the Fraxel laser is also another way of melasma removal.
The type of treatment one must have for their melasma will vary on a case to case basis, seeing that one treatment way may not be as effective on one person as it may be for another. But regardless of which type of melasma treatment the patient chooses, he or she must definitely avoid the sun after being treated for melasma. Treatment will slowly show results, so it is very important that one should avoid the sunlight for the time being. For best results, it is extremely suggested that you apply sunscreen on your face and body everyday.
Remove hyperpigmentation and keratosis at home in just 14 days. This powerful treatment eats away sun damaged skin cells and leaves healthy skin cells unharmed.