What is Melasma?

Melasma is a common skin disorder. A pigmentation condition of the skin that primarily affects women, particularly those with darker complexion, is melasma. It frequently appears as black blotches and patches with wavy borders on the face. Melasma on face is most common in women with medium to dark skin tones. Tan, brown, greyish brown or bluish grey patches and freckle-like markings may develop when melasma first manifests. These typically show up on the cheekbones, forehead, chin, and even the area above the upper lip of the face. Melasma can form on the arms, neck, or other areas while being less frequent.

What are the main causes of melasma skin?

Daylight:

The body produces more melanin when sunlight strikes our skin. This appears to explain why melasma appears on skin that is exposed to the most sunlight, such as the skin on the arms, neck, and face.

Childbirth:

Melasma is thought to be brought on by an increase in the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which take place during pregnancy.

Anxiety:

Although this is debatable, some research results indicate that stress may cause melasma. The body produces more cortisol when under stress. Cortisol levels rising could lead to melasma.

Tanner Beds:

UV rays produced by a sunlamp or tanning bed are often stronger than those produced by sunshine. UV radiation causes the body to develop more pigment when you expose your skin to it. Melasma’s blotchy patches and freckle-like spots are sometimes caused by this pigment appearing unevenly.

Thyroid Condition:

In your neck is a gland called the thyroid. It creates hormones that assist your body with crucial tasks including digesting food you’ve eaten and controlling the rate at which your heart beats. Your risk of acquiring melasma may rise if your thyroid gland experiences a malfunction. Treatment for the thyroid issue might occasionally remove the melasma.

Cosmetics:

A condition known as a phototoxic response can be brought on by some cosmetics.

Skin care products:

Melasma is likely to get worse if you use a product that generally irritates your skin.

Most Common Symptoms of Melasma:

Discolored patches are a symptom of melasma. The patches are darker in color than your normal skin. It frequently affects the face and is symmetrical, with identical marks on both sides. Melasma can also appear on other parts of your body that are frequently exposed to the sun. Your skin may develop bluish, light brown, dark brown, or freckle-like areas due to melasma. The areas may occasionally swell up or turn red.

Your shoulders and upper arms have melasma.
Your forehead, cheeks, nose, and upper lip all exhibit melasma.
Both cheeks are affected by the melasma.
Your cheekbones and nose are where the melasma appears.
The jawline shows the melasma.
Melasma is the light brown spot in the middle of this person’s forehead.
Man has melasma on his cheeks, chin, forehead, and upper lip, among other typical areas.
Melasma can arise on all sides of the neck in adults who are 50 years of age or older.

What are the risk factors of melasma on face?

People with fairer complexion are less likely to get melasma than individuals with darker brown skin or who tan easily. Melasma is more common in women than in men. Melasma affects pregnant women more frequently than anyone else. If you use oral contraceptives or hormones, you’re also at danger. The primary risk factors for melasma include sun exposure, skin color, pregnancy, and heredity.

Different types of melasma dark patches:

Dermal Melasma:

A specific type of melasma that develops from beneath the skin’s surface is called dermal melasma. It happens in the skin’s middle layer. With the use of a Wood’s Lamp, a dermatologist makes the diagnosis. Melasma typically has a brown appearance, although it can also be grey or blue in hue. The neck, the face, and the forearms may all have this coloring.

Epidermal Melasma:

Epidermal melasma are not infectious diseases. Additionally, it does not even remotely cause cancer. It just changes your skin’s hue by adding a new type of coloring. When a skin issue has been present for a while, it may potentially go away.

Mixed Melasma:

The most prevalent type of melasma, mixed melasma, has both bluish and brown patches, has a mixed pattern under black light, and exhibits some therapeutic response.

What is the difference between Hyperpigmentation and Melasma?

Hyperpigmentation:

Any situation where a patch of skin gets slightly darker than the adjacent skin in the same location is referred to as hyperpigmentation. This phrase includes a number of more specific disorders like freckles, melasma, and liver spots. Sun exposure is the primary cause of hyperpigmentation.

Melasma:

Melasma is a particular kind of hyperpigmentation. Because it almost invariably affects a person’s face and leaves behind black patches of skin on the chin, cheekbones, nose, upper lip, or other cranial regions, melasma is sometimes known as a “mask.” Sometimes melasma can be detected on other regions of the body, usually those that are more exposed to the sun, such the shoulders.

What is the difference between Sun Damage and Melasma?

Sun Damage:

Skin damage brought on by the sun. Although it can affect anyone, sun damage is more likely in those with fair skin or those who have been exposed to the sun frequently. In addition to a host of other undesirable skin conditions like wrinkles, dryness, dullness, and skin cancer, it can also result in hyperpigmentation. Various forms of sun damage include freckles, sunburns, and dark patches.

Melasma:

What are the difference between Vitiligo and Melasma on face?

Vitiligo:

A hypopigmentation syndrome called vitiligo can cause areas of skin to lose their color, particularly those on the scalp, within the lips, or around the eyes. Although it can affect everyone, vitiligo is significantly more noticeable in people with darker skin. While vitiligo does not cause bodily pain or an illness that is incapacitating, it can be upsetting for some people. Although persistent, vitiligo poses little danger to life. Vitiligo can affect:

Symmetrical bodily parts are susceptible to vitiligo (both sides of the body)
Unbalanced body parts (just one side of the body)
Several specific bodily parts
Hands and face and other parts of body

Melasma:

Does melasma react to specific foods?

Experts currently do not aware of any foods or beverages that either directly causes, miraculously cure, or exacerbate melasma. However, consider a diet rich in foods containing vitamin D to maintain your skin healthy in general: