Melasma causes darker patches on your skin that can be exacerbated by the sun.
Sometimes an uneven skin tone requires medical attention. For example, it’s estimated that about 1.9 million adults in the US suffer from vitiligo in the US. This is a skin condition that causes depigmentation and patchy-looking skin. A condition like vitiligo can lead to increased psychological distress, more sunburns, eye problems, and an increased risk of hearing loss. Because of this, seeing your doctor if you suspect you suffer from this condition can be important.
For many people, having an uneven skin tone isn’t something that requires medical attention. This being said, accessing clear, even skin can boost your self confidence and overall psychological well being.
Some cases of patchy skin can be attributed to something called melasma. What is melasma and how is it treated? Here’s a glance.
Melasma causes grayish, brown patches and large freckles on your skin
The Cleveland Clinic defines melasma as a harmless skin condition that can cause brown or blue-ish gray patches to arise on your skin. Melasma often affects pregnant women and is the result of the overproduction of melanin in your skin. (These are the cells that give color to your skin).
Where melasma occurs
Melasma comes and goes and can grow worse in the summer, fading throughout the winter months. Melasma is physically harmless and can affect any part of your body exposed to the sun. It often surfaces on your:
- Cheeks
- Nose
- Upper lip
- Chin
- Forehead
- Arms
- Neck
- Back
Who it affects
Melasma usually starts between the ages of 20 and 40 year old, and affects people who tan well and who have darker skin more than those with lighter skin.
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Why you should see a doctor
While melasma won’t hurt you, there are some skin cancers that can look like melasma. For this reason, it’s important to see your doctor if you develop what looks like melasma just to be sure. A professional diagnosis can tell you what’s really going on. People with melasma are also more likely to have thyroid disease, and so your healthcare may screen you for this if melasma is diagnosed.
Causes of melasma
The sun often makes melasma symptoms worse, or darker. Other things that can bring the condition about include:
- Genetics
- Birth control pills
- Anti seizure medication
- Underactive thyroid
- LED screens
- Pregnancy
- Makeup
- Hormones
- Phototoxic drugs
- Tanning beds
- Soaps
- Skin care products
Treating melasma
Melasma is difficult to remove permanently but it can be treated. Dermatologists offer anti-aging solutions such as laser melasma treatments. These can take place over about 10 weeks with alternating weekly procedures. This process can include a laser spectra peel and laser toning treatments. This can reduce the appearance of melasma via non-invasive, pain free procedures.
To find a clinic that treats melasma, talk to a dermatologist or conduct an online search for anti aging clinics in your area. Regain your confidence with an even skin tone all year round!
photo credits: DUANGJAN J/Shutterstock.com
