Melasma is a type of skin condition that commonly occurs in women. The condition produces brown skin pigmentation or patches. These discolored patches typically appear in the facial area. Discolorations commonly develop on the forehead, cheeks, nose bridge, upper lip, and chin. They can also occur on the neck and forearms.

Medications & Home Remedies

Although there is no cure, there are many treatments available to help mask the appearance of skin melasma. Typical products used for the treatment include bleaching creams and tretinoin creams with the active ingredient hydroquinone. These topical treatments can help promote fading of melasma's physical symptoms.

Physicians may also prescribe medications to help minimize the appearance of melasma spots on the skin. Commonly prescribed medications include creams with corticosteroids or glycolic acid to enhance skin lightening, or the use of azeleic acid as a form of bleaching cream.



Home Remedies

Some people have also employed the use of home remedies to improve the effects of melasma on the skin, although the effectiveness of these home remedies is largely unproven. One remedy involves rubbing lemon juice on the face and leaving it for a total of 15 minutes and then rinsing it off. The acidic and bleaching properties of lemon juice may help promote the fading of the brown skin patches. Applying body lotions is also a good regimen for skin melasma, and scar-removing creams such as Be Gone can also help fade the brown areas of the skin.

If you want to try to treat your melasma at home, you can also create a facial mask by mixing lemon juice and cucumber juice. Apply the mask to the affected area just before bedtime. Wash off the mask in the morning, and repeat the process for three to four days.

For instant coverage, you can cover the brown skin patches with cosmetics. Concealers, foundations, and powders can all be applied in order to even out skin tone.

Other Treatment Methods

Aside from topical applications, physicians may also recommend chemical peels, skin ablation, or laser treatments to remove the dark skin pigmentation brought about by melasma.

Fractional laser resurfacing or photothermolysis, is an innovative new procedure used for skin rejuvenation. In this method, the target skin areas are dealt with at microscopic levels and are treated with heat. Fractional laser resurfacing resembles the modification of a photograph using computer software. The skin appears like a photo composed of millions of pixels, each of which can be magnified and corrected, replacing dull looking or discolored cells with healthier ones.

Fractional laser resurfacing utilizes intense beams of energy from ablative lasers to target specific discolored areas of the skin, leaving remaining skin cells intact. This helps promote cell rejuvenation in the discolored skin, while ensuring quicker recovery times and heightened safety. Skin heals quicker, patients can enjoy a safer procedure that produces quality results, and the treatment even improves the skin's overall elasticity and stability.

There are several fractional resurfacing treatments to choose between, including Fraxel and ActiveFX. Your physician will know best which laser is best for your skin type.

Other Tips

Dermatologists advise patients with melasma to use sunscreen every day. Even when the sky appears to be cloudy or when staying indoors, UV rays from the sun can still penetrate through the skin. Unprotected skin can worsen the melasma, especially if the skin is sensitive as a result of treatments. The use of sunscreen may also aid in preventing the skin from becoming darker or the melasma from spreading.