Which areas of the body is melasma more likely to occur?

Where does melasma occur?

Melasma appears most commonly on your cheeks, nose, chin, above the upper lip and the forehead. It sometimes affects your arms, neck and back. In fact, melasma can affect any part of your skin that is exposed to sunlight. That's why most people with melasma notice that their symptoms worsen during the summer months.

Can melasma be anywhere on the body?

Melasma is a common skin condition that causes brown patches and can present anywhere on your body.

In which skin types is melasma more common?

Melasma is more common in darker skin types than in lighter skin types, and it is particularly more common in light brown skin types. Women are affected nine times more than men. Melasma is rare before puberty and more common in reproductive years.

What layer of skin does melasma affect?

Epidermal melasma is the most superficial with an increase in the skin pigment (melanin) in the top layer of skin (epidermis). In dermal melasma, there is increased skin pigment in the second deeper layer of the skin (the dermis).

Melasma

Can melasma appear on breast?

Melasma develops on sun-exposed areas of the skin, most often the face. Above the upper lip, across the cheeks, nose, and forehead are all very common areas to find it, but melasma can develop anywhere on the face. It also can develop on the chest, upper arms, and upper back, though not as frequently.

What vitamins are good for melasma?

Conclusions: Full-face iontophoresis of vitamin C appears to be an effective short-term treatment for melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

What triggers melasma?

This means birth control pills, pregnancy, and hormone therapy can all trigger melasma. Stress and thyroid disease are also thought to be causes of melasma. Additionally, sun exposure can cause melasma because ultraviolet rays affect the cells that control pigment (melanocytes).

Why do I suddenly have melasma?

It's not known exactly what causes melasma but dermatologists believe it's linked to some combination of hormones and exposure to sun, heat or light. When those factors come into play, they stimulate the skin's melanocyte cells, which then begin producing increased melanin, resulting in brown patches.

What are 3 different types of melasma?

Historically, melasma has been classified as having three histologic variants: epidermal, dermal, and mixed [1]. In the epidermal type, there is increased pigment throughout the layers of the epidermis, particularly in the basal and suprabasilar layers.

What makes melasma worse?

Sun exposure: Exposure to the sun's rays can make melasma worse and this includes being in the heat and visible light. It doesn't have to be a very hot day out, but if the sun is beaming on your skin, the melasma can immediately get worse.

How do I know if I have hyperpigmentation or melasma?

Although it also is a type of condition characterized by darker patches of skin, melasma is differentiated from other forms of hyperpigmentation mainly by its cause; rather than just being sun-related, melasma is caused in part by hormonal changes within the body.

Why is my melasma getting darker?

Possible causes of melasma include sun exposure, changes in hormones, and skincare products that contain irritating chemicals. The dark patches develop as a result of malfunctioning melanocytes, the cells that produce color in the skin.

What foods make melasma worse?

Some foods contain chemical hormones that can aggravate hormone-triggered hyperpigmentation. Examples of foods that contain potentially hyperpigmentation-causing hormones are soy products, black beans, flaxseed and chickpeas, all of which contain estrogen.

How do you stop melasma from spreading?

The best way to prevent melasma from coming back or getting worse is to avoid the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays act on certain cells in your skin to actually increase pigment production, which in turn makes your melasma worse.

What is the fastest way to cure melasma?

Doctors often use hydroquinone as the first line of treatment for melasma. Hydroquinone is available as a lotion, cream, or gel. It works by lightening the color of the skin patches. A person can apply the hydroquinone product directly to the patches of skin that are discolored or uneven.

Can lack of vitamin D cause melasma?

The relationship of Vitamin D3 deficiency and increased melanin production that leads to appearances of facial pigments such as melasma, unevenness and hyper pigmented patches.

Does vitamin C help with melasma?

Vitamin C for Melasma

Vitamin C is an effective natural melasma treatment as it is a tyrosinase inhibitor - one of the most common skincare ingredients to treat pigmentation. Tyrosinase is the enzyme the body needs to make melanin pigment, so when you inhibit tyrosinase, you can lighten the skin.

Does stress make melasma worse?

Stress. While psychological stress isn't a skin irritant per se, it is considered to be a possible melasma trigger by some researchers. Stress causes your body to increase the hormone cortisol, which can in turn influence the amount of estrogen in the body. So, take it easy on yourself – and on your skin!

Will melasma ever go away?

Most people with melasma do not need treatment. Melasma may fade away slowly if you stop taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. If melasma appeared while you were pregnant, it may go away a few months after you have the baby. If melasma doesn't fade or it bothers you, it can be treated.

How I cured my melasma naturally?

Lemon juice. The idea behind lemon juice to treat melasma is similar to that of apple cider vinegar. Many sites recommend rubbing the dark patches of skin with lemon juice and leaving it to dry before rinsing with water. Lemon juice is thought to lighten the skin because it is a bleaching agent.

Will melasma spread?

Melasma is more common in people of colour and those who tan very quickly but can occur to anyone. Melasma usually becomes more noticeable in the summer and improves during the winter months.It is not an infection; therefore, it is not contagious, and it is not due to an allergy.

Which hormone is responsible for melasma?

Melasma is often associated with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. It is common in: Pregnant women. Women taking birth control pills (oral contraceptives)

Which is the best cream for melasma?

Which serum is best for melasma?

SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense is a good melasma treatment for combination skin types. This lightweight hyperpigmentation serum contains kojic acid, tranexamic acid and vitamin B3 and is clinically proven to remove dark spots.