Melasma

What is melasma?

Melasma is a benign skin condition which leads to brown or grey-brown patches on the face. The patches, which are a result of skin tan or discolouration of the dark skin, occur mostly on forehead, cheeks, chin, above the upper lip and bridge of the nose. In rare cases it may also develop in the forearm or neck area. Women especially with darker skin are more affected by it as compared to men.

What are the main causes of Melasma?

The cause of melasma is still not clear. The likely cause is that melanocytes, the colour making skin cells, produce too much colour. Exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun stimulates melanocytes. Many people get melasma repeatedly as it can return after fading with just a bit of exposure to sunlight. The skin condition can also be triggered by hormone oestrogen from birth control pills and hormone replacement medicines. Oestrogen also causes melasma in pregnant women. It is also hereditary.

How is Melasma treated?

In case of pregnant women or women on birth control pills, melasma may fade on its own once the woman delivers the baby or stops taking birth control pills and so is the case in women taking hormone replacement medicines. It can be treated in several ways which can also be combined for better results. Avoiding factors which triggers it can help in its treatment. Avoiding exposure to sun and use of sun block creams can also help to lessen the patches. Cosmetic procedures such as melasma peels, micro-dermabrasion, vibradermabrasion, medical graded pigmentation cream, melasma laser treatment and IPL treatment might be used to treat this condition.

Benefits of having Melasma Treatment

This treatment helps to diminish the brown patches from the skin. This makes your skin look natural, clearer, to regain your looks and confidence.

Who should have Melasma Treatment?

Any adult, over the age of 18, who is suffering from melasma can undertake the treatment.

In IPL or Intense Pulse light treatment, light pulses are emitted into the skin which are absorbed by the pigments and fade away in about two weeks.

At The Skin Clinic we offer the latest technology for melasma and pigmentations.

What areas can be treated?

Most areas that have pigmentation can be treated.

How many treatments will it take?

The number of treatments needed depends upon the area and the extent of the patches. Normally you would require three to seven treatments at intervals of three to six weeks.

How long will the results last?

The results of melasma treatments, if proper care is taken, can last for a long time. The duration varies from person to person.

What aftercare do I need?

The most important aftercare that you need to take is to avoid exposure to sun as it can trigger melasma. You should use a high factor sunscreen daily and wear a broad hat to save your skin from exposure to sun.

Melasma Treatment for Men

Only a small fraction of melasma patients are men and they can undergo the treatment to get rid of it.

Melasma Treatment Prices

The cost of the treatment depends upon the type of treatment and the area being treated