Melasma

Melasma

Melasma is a common skin problem which involves formation of brown to grey brown patches especially on the face. The facial areas which commonly are a victim of these patches are the forehead, bridge of the nose, cheeks, chin and the upper lip. These patches also develop on parts of the body which are constantly exposed to the sun.

Causes

The exact cause of melasma is not known. However, women are more likely than men to get melasma because it can occur due to hormonal changes which occur during pregnancy. Birth control pills & hormonal therapy can also trigger melasma. Further, stress and sun exposure aggregates to raise the problem.

Treatment

• In some patients, melasma disappears on its own especially when it is caused due to pregnancy or birth control pills.
• There are certain treatments available for melasma-

Topical medications

Hydroquinone – It is the most common way of treating melasma. It comes as a cream & lotion formulation.

Tretinoin and corticosteroid – It reduces the melanin content in the pigmented patch. Frequently, a triple combination cream containing hydroquinone, tretinoin and corticosteroid is used for treatment of melasma for a limited period of time.

Other topical creams may contain arbutin, kojic acid , glycolic acid and lactic acid etc.

Procedures

Procedures like chemical peels, microdermabrasions and lasers can also be used in certain patients.

Sunscreen

A broad spectrum sunscreen is always recommended along with these treatments as sun exposure is common worsening factor for melasma.

Outcome

Taking proper consultation from a dermatologist, can help patients in curing melasma.

Patience and taking proper treatment are the key factors to its cure since the patches don’t go off that easy. It is important to follow dermatologist’s advice to attain maximum benefits from the treatment. Once cured, the patient needs to undergo maintenance therapy to avoid any future chances of its reoccurrence.