Women who are often exposed to the sun have the greater tendency of developing melasma, as well as those whose ages range from 20 to 50 years.
What is Melasma?
Based on clinical research, Melasma is a condition where a woman’s face has patchy brown, tan or blue-gray. You can usually see this on the forehead, upper lip, chin or upper cheeks. This condition is seen most especially in women.
Another discovery also showed that aside from the exposure from the sun, melasma may also be due to intake of external hormones like pills and birth control, including pregnant women’s hormonal changes.
Those women who also have greater risk of developing melasma are those with olive or darker skin, most especially those with Hispanic and Asian origins.
To be able to measure how deep melasma penetrates the skin, Dermatologists often diagnose the patient using a device known as Wood’s light. To carefully identify whether the patient suffers from melasma and not just any skin problems, Dermatologists removes a small skin for a biopsy.
If melasma is caused by pregnancy, doctors say it will fade on its own after the woman delivers her baby. If it is caused by birth control pills, it will also fade if the woman stops taking the pills.
For women who are suffering from the type of melasma that doesn’t fade away naturally, there are available treatments and medicines that dermatologists recommend, some of which can be bought over the counter.
Medicine for Melasma
One of the most common medicines that dermatologists recommend for women with melasma is Hydroquinone, which comes in the form of a gel, lotion, liquid or cream. It is applied directly on the skin and works by lightening the skin.
Other medicines that are commonly prescribed to treat melasma are those that contain Tretinoin and Corticosteroids to enhance skin lightening.
Sometimes, doctors prescribe creams that contain both Hydroquinone, Tretinoin and Corticosteroid.
Some patients are also given topical medicines that contain azelaic acid or kojic acid, which also work to lighten the skin.
If melasma persists, dermatologists resort to procedures such as dermabrasion, microdermabrasion and chemical peel, depending on the patient’s type of skin.
But dermatologists warn that melasma is stubborn and it would take a few months of treatment before it would eventually fade away. Once it fades, the patient needs to strictly follow a maintenance therapy to prevent it from returning.
Melasma treatment
Women who undergo treatment for melasma should watch signs of any side effects like skin irritation, darkening of the skin and other problems. Once these signs are present, the patient should immediately inform their dermatologist.
Doctors recommend that to prevent getting melasma or to prevent it from returning, women should use products with sunscreen and if possible, wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face from the sun.
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