What Is Melasma? Melasma shows up as brown spots or splotches on the forehead, cheeks, jaw line or upper lip. Melasma is essentially too much dark pigment. That pigment has been triggered by hormones and/or sun. Melasma can appear when a woman’s hormones change, whether through pregnancy, oral contraceptives, or hormone replacement therapy after menopause. Women of color are prone to melasma, and it is a significant problem for many. But people of any skin type can get melasma. Once melasma has gotten started, for example during a pregnancy, it may become very difficult to treat afterwards. Also, it tends to become worse with subsequent pregnancies, particularly if the pregnancy is during the summer. If you do get melasma during the pregnancy, chances are it will resolve after delivery. But in a small percentage of women it gets worse over time and with exposure to sunlight. The Quick List of What To Do Here’s what to do: •Use the best quality sunscreen every morning – think zinc and SPF 30 or higher; •Wear a wide-brim hat; •Try bleaching creams from your dermatologist – you’ll need a prescription to get the stronger ones; •Get a series of microdermabrasion or light peels, which, if done correctly, can help reduce the discoloration; •If you can, change contraception or decrease your estrogen dose; •Consider a fractional laser series if your budget permits
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:48:34 +0000