Melasma

Melasma is a skin condition that affects many individuals. While it’s not dangerous, it is characterized by hyperpigmentation, which makes many of those who have it seek treatment.

What is Melasma?

Melasma mostly affects women (although can affect men as well), and is a type of hyperpigmentation that appears as brown, gray, or blue-toned patches that appear on the face, including the mouth area, cheeks, chin, nose, forehead, and chin.

Where Does Melasma Come From?

Melasma typically develops due to hormonal fluctuations. While this usually means pregnancy, the condition can also develop in those who are taking hormone replacement tablets or birth control pills. Melasma can also be caused by liver conditions, and is exacerbated by sunlight or infrared light, certain beauty products with fragrances, and even screen light from computers and tablets and phones. Although the condition mostly affects individuals with darker skin tones (such as Middle Eastern and Indian), it can develop in anyone.

Treatment for Melasma

Melasma is a chronic condition—which means that there is no complete cure—but it can be controlled with the right treatment. Melasma won’t simply go away on its own, so the most important thing is to find a board-certified dermatologist who will make a customized treatment plan.

Chemical Peels

A series of medium-depth chemical peels are an excellent way to gently exfoliate the hyperpigmentation of melasma and infuse active ingredients to help soothe and brighten the skin. Great chemical peels for melasma include glycolic acid peels, alpha hydroxy acid peels, vitamin A peels, and lactic acid peels.

Microneedling

Microneedling gets great results for melasma. This is a procedure in which dozens of tiny micro-needles puncture the skin, breaking up the pigment beneath the skin’s surface. The micro-needles also cause small injuries to the skin, which causes the body to heal and renew the skin, creating overall rejuvenation.

Intense Pulsed Light

Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy uses powerful flashes of light to treat hyperpigmentation from melasma beneath the surface of the skin, reaching deeply to the dermal layers to break up the pigment.

Fraxel Laser

The Fraxel® laser moves over the skin, creating tiny dots that heat the skin rather than remove it. The laser lifts away hyperpigmentation over the course of multiple treatments. Laser treatments for melasma are often done in conjunction with skincare products to enhance results.

Skincare Products

With melasma, it’s critical to reduce the stress within the skin and block the factors that are causing it to flare up. This can be done with recommended skincare products from Dr. Grossman, beginning with a strong sunscreen.

Because the sun aggravates melasma, it’s important to be diligent with sun protection and wear sunscreen every day. Combined with her other skincare suggestions, melasma can be greatly improved.

Why Choose Grossman Dermatology?

If you’re interested in improving your melasma, it’s incredibly important to treat it early on. Dr. Karyn Grossman has you covered. With advanced technology to make the best choice for patients when it comes to treatment options, she often utilizes combination procedures to get the best results. She also does full skin checks for all of her patients to help keep them healthy. Dr. Grossman is known for her excellence, quality, years of experience, and artistic, natural-looking results. To learn more, we welcome you to contact our office to set up a consultation.