Think You've Got Melasma? What You Need To Know About Treatment | Beauty Care articles | Well Being center

Melasma, a hyperpigmentation disorder that most commonly affects women, isn't dangerous — it neither causes pain or discomfort nor develops into skin cancer. This doesn't mean that melasma doesn't come with far-reaching consequences, however. When you're stuck with a permanent "mask" on your face, your self-confidence can start to crumble. What is melasma, what are the risk factors for developing it, and what can you do to treat it?

What Is Melasma?

Melasma is a pigmentation disorder in which darker patches of skin develop, most frequently on the facial skin and usually in a "mask-type" pattern. Typically appearing symmetrically on both sides of the face, melasma tends to affect the cheeks, upper lip, nose, chin and forehead, though it can also be limited to a smaller area. In some cases, melasma strikes the neck and forearms as well. These patches of darker skin aren't raised and do not cause any physical discomfort.

When it appears in pregnancy, melasma is called chloasma, the notorious pregnancy mask some women develop while they are expecting a baby. The skin condition can affect people of all ethnic backgrounds, but 90 percent of those with melasma are women.

While melasma doesn't cause any physical discomfort, the condition can lead to a great deal of emotional stress, and can reduce the quality of life of an affected person enormously.

What Causes Melasma?

The cause of melasma is still unclear at present. Previously thought to be exclusively hormonal in nature, other factors are now being examined as well.

Hormones, we know, can indeed trigger melasma. This is seen not only in the "pregnancy mask", a pregnancy-induced form of the pigment disorder that affects between 10 and 15 percent of expectant mothers, but also in women who develop melasma while taking the birth control pill. Between 10 and 25 percent of pill users will develop melasma! Around 30 percent of people who suffer from Graves Disease, a form of hyperthyroidism, also end up with melasma. Hormones thought to be involved with the development of melasma include estrogen, progesterone, and α-MSH.

In recent years, it has become clear that melasma mainly strikes people in areas that get a lot of sun, and that sun exposure plays a large role in the development of the disorder in both men and women. This is an important finding, as excessive exposure to sunlight can be prevented — and proper sunscreen use may help some people avoid melasma altogether. Despite its association with sun exposure, melasma is not cancerous and doesn't turn into cancer down the road, either.

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Finally, researchers have noted that melasma commonly strikes the same areas of the face as vascular disorders such as rosacea. There is, therefore, also a possibility that melasma is a vascular condition.

If you suspect that you have melasma, a doctor can typically diagnose it on sight alone. In some cases, however, a skin biopsy will be carried out to confirm the diagnosis.

Living With Melasma

Just like no definite cause behind melasma has been revealed so far, but only a bunch of risk factors, the skin pigmentation disorder is also notoriously hard to treat. Though pregnancy-induced melasma does often disappear on its own after pregnancy, it doesn't always, and other forms of melasma have little chance of going away by themselves.

Thankfully, though, if you are affected by melasma, there are indeed steps you can undertake to minimize your hyperpigmentation. You can take some of these measures yourself, while you need the partnership of a dermatologist for others. Let's take a look at the options.

Avoiding Triggers

Those who started developing melasma after taking hormonal contraceptives should look into non-hormonal birth control methods such as the copper intrauterine device or condoms instead. In some cases, this alone causes the pigmentation to fade a great deal. Sun exposure isn't just a melasma trigger, the tanning that is associated with spending time in the sun will only cause your melasma to stand out more. Therefore, using a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, and that has a sun protection factor of 50 or higher, is a must for people with melasma. You should also try to avoid spending time outdoors during the hottest hours of the day, and you can wear wide-rimmed hats when you do go out.

Note: If you avoid spending time in the sun, ask your doctor about taking a vitamin D supplement.

Professional Treatments

Medical spas, operated by doctors, do have several treatment options aimed at improving the pigmentation of people with melasma. Chemical peels including TCA peels, laser resurfacing treatments, and microdermabrasion have all helped individual people with melasma manage their condition. The results can be quite incredible. Individual plastic surgeons and dermatologists usually have their own "pet" treatment options which they prefer. By meeting with several board-certified dermatologists, you can get a very good idea of what is offered within your area. However, browsing the internet is a great start, if you would like to find out what services are offered near you. Be aware, however, that these treatments will certainly cost you several hundred US dollars, and can easily end up eating into your budget to the tune of several thousand as well.

Skin Lightening Creams

In the US, it is not at all uncommon for doctors to recommend skin lightening creams that contain melanin-reducing ingredients, such as Hydroquinone and Azeleic acid. Though these products can indeed be effective at reducing your hyperpigmentation, you also need to know that Hydroquinone is banned within the European Union because it can lead to severe irritation. Kojic acid, which is present in Kojie San soap, is a more natural alternative that many people have found to be effective for reducing hyperpigmentation.

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Can You Conceal Melasma?

Your everyday, garden-variety foundation isn't going to be any good at covering your melasma up — not even the full-coverage versions of high-end, expensive brands. Professional makeup aimed at camouflaging, however, can indeed offer you an even skin tone. Try ColorTration and DermaBlend, use a primer before you start, and dab your foundation on, rather than massaging it in. Use small amounts in layers, until you achieve good coverage. Then use a makeup setter to ensure that your makeup stays in place.

If you're not that handy with makeup, it may be worth investing in some sessions with a professional makeup artist who has experience with concealing skin conditions, scars and burns, and tattoos.