Melasma is tan or dark skin discoloration. The causes of Melasma include Sun exposure, genetic susceptibility, hormonal fluctuations, and skin irritation. While it can affect anybody, it is more frequent in women, especially those who are pregnant. This article will answer your question on how to cure Melasma.
Melasma is a testing skin condition to treat. While there is no permanent cure, therapies are available to help improve the appearance and reduce the symptoms.
The most common location of Melasma are:
- nose
- cheeks
- upper lips
- chin
- forehead
The management of Melasma is testing and need a long-term treatment plan. Aside from avoiding aggravating variables such as oral medications and UV exposure, topical therapy has remained the core of treatment. Several topical therapy options are available, and hydroquinone (HQ) is the most commonly prescribed medication.
Let’s delve in to discover “How to Cure Melasma?”
How to Cure Melasma?
Melasma is a frequent hypermelanotic condition that affects the face and has significant psychosocial consequences. In this section, we’ll cover symptoms, causes, and treatments for melasma management and improvement.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of Melasma Include:
- Dark, irregular, well-demarcated, hyperpigmented macules to patches.
- The gradual development of these patches over time.
- Melasma typically doesn’t cause any other symptoms beyond cosmetic discolouration.
- Patches can vary in size, ranging from 0.5 cm to more prominent than 10 cm, depending on the individual.
Melasma’s Location Can Be Categorized As:
- Centrofacial: Patches appear on the cheeks, nose, upper lip, forehead, and chin (most common).
- Mandibular: Patches on the bilateral rami.
- Malar: Patches found only on the nose and cheeks.
Causes of Melasma
There are two leading causes of Melasma.
- Radiation (ultraviolet, visible light, or infrared (heat) light)
- Hormones
The sun’s ultraviolet and infrared radiation is critical in exacerbating Melasma.
Other Possible Causes of Melasma Include:
● Antiseizure medications: Melasma may result from taking antiseizure medications. Clobazam (Onfi®) is an example of an antiseizure drug.
● Contraceptive therapy (birth control): A lot of people who take birth control with estrogen and progesterone notice that they develop Melasma.
- Estrogen/Diethylstilbestrol: This is an artificial version of the estrogen hormone. Frequently used in prostate cancer therapies. Furthermore, there is also another link between higher estrogen and Melasma.
● Genetics: About 33% to 50% of people with Melasma have reported that someone in the family has it. The majority of identical twins both have Melasma.
● Hypothyroidism: This condition happens when your thyroid doesn’t work right.
● LED Screens: We spend so much time in front of screens that the lights can cause Melasma.
● Pregnancy: People still don’t know why “the mask of pregnancy” happens. The experts think that increased levels of estrogen, progesterone, and melanocyte-stimulating hormones. It is during a baby’s third trimester that has something to do with it.
● Hormones: Hormones like estrogen and progesterone might cause Melasma in some people. Some postmenopausal women gave progesterone and developed Melasma. Furthermore, your melasma lesions probably include a lot of estrogen receptors if you are not pregnant.
● Makeup (cosmetics) : Furthermore, A phototoxic reaction is when cosmetics cause it.
● Phototoxic drugs (Medicines that make you sensitive to sunlight): some antibiotics, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) diuretics, retinoids, hypoglycaemics, antipsychotics, targeted therapies and other drugs are all include in this group.
● Skin care products: However, just because it’s a skin product doesn’t mean it can’t worsen things. In fact, a general skincare product that irritates your skin may deteriorate Melasma.
● Soaps:Some people believe that scented soaps can cause or worsen Melasma.
● Tanning beds: The UV radiation produced by tanning beds is equally, if not more, detrimental to your skin than UV light from the sun.
Treatments for Melasma
Melasma is hard to treat. To determine a treatment plan, your healthcare provider must decide what’s possibly causing the treatment Melasma.
Is it sunlight? Your birth control? Genetics? Your soap? Too much screen time?
Beware of Dangerous Skin-Lightening Scams
Sometimes, women who are desperate to improve the appearance of Melasma will seek out treatments online. Most products are just useless at best and unsafe at worst. Take glutathione compounds as an example — whether injected or taken orally, these can severely damage your kidney and thyroid. So always consult your doctor before opting for these treatments.
Shun the Sun
Continuous sun exposure often worsens Melasma. However, the pigmentation disappears during periods of sun avoidance. So, we require a strict restriction of sunlight.
Melasma occurs most commonly in people with light brown skin tones. At the same time, they live in areas with high levels of sun exposure.
To prevent Melasma, a dermatologist will likely recommend a high-SPF sunscreen. Preferring the use of broad-spectrum sunscreens with physical blockers, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. This is because UV-A, UV-B, and visible lights are all capable of stimulating pigment production. “How to Cure Melasma?”
Topical Treatment
We use topical agents to treat most cases. Not only are there medications that fight pigmentation production and inflammation, but they also fight excess blood vessels in the skin that contribute to Melasma.
These include hydroquinone, azelaic acid, kojic acid, niacinamide, cysteamine, rucinol and tranexamic acid. However, Chemical peels and physical therapies in various lasers or powerful pulse light sources are also used to treat this hypermelanotic condition. It is recommended that oral medicines be discontinued and that scented cosmetics be avoided.
Topical agents are much more effective in the epidermal type of Melasma.
Hydroquinone (HQ)
For decades, this was the mainstay of melasma treatment. Hydroquinone is a topical medication that breaks down melanin in the skin.
HQ thinking up are commonly used to treat Melasma at concentrations varying from 2 to 5%, applied once daily. Variably, good yet reversible results are obtained in most patients treated with HQ. After 5-7 weeks, the depigmenting benefits of the HQ treatment are visible.
However, some people doubt the safety of this material due to possible carcinogenic consequences. The United States Food and Drug Administration briefly considered banning the ingredient in 2006.
Discuss any potential side effects you experience if you are using hydroquinone, and never use this material outside of a healthcare provider’s supervision.
Azelaic Acid
Azelaic acid is another skin-lightening agent. Like tretinoin, promotes cell turnover and smoothes the skin. For times when you don’t want to use hydroquinone, Azelaic Acid can even out your skin tone without issue. Additionally, it’s very gentle and putting it on long-term is okay.
Tretinoin
Brand names like Retin-A and Renova better known tretinoin. If you want to remove old skin cells and produce new ones faster, tretinoin is the way to go.
Tretinoin is a potent ally against ageing concerns such as rough skin, age spots, fine lines and wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. However, It needs to be a standalone solution for tackling Melasma. Nevertheless, with consistent use, tretinoin can still be a dependable maintenance cream.
Triple Combination Cream
This drug, marketed under the brand name Tri-Luma, is a combination of tretinoin, corticosteroid, and hydroquinone. It gives you the advantages of the medications above in one cream. This treatment is more effective than any other treatment, and it can improve even severe Melasma.
However, the drawback of using a triple combination cream is that it is more likely to cause skin irritation. It cannot be used long-term to prevent Melasma.
Topical Corticosteroids
Doctors use topical corticosteroids, often referred to as steroid creams, to treat various skin conditions due to their anti-inflammatory properties. They also have light skin-lightening properties. Topical corticosteroids aren’t very successful on their own for Melasma. Therefore, we will give you another topical medication to use alongside them.
Tranexamic Acid
This drug is used less often to treat Melasma but is becoming more common. Melanin synthesis is inhibited by the oral drug tranexamic acid. However, it is used off-label and is not a recognized treatment for Melasma.
It is not advised as a first-line treatment for Melasma. But in some circumstances, if other treatments aren’t working, a recipe might be given.
Maintenance Therapy and Prevention
After Melasma lesions have better, strict sun protection and maintenance therapy Must be continued. To sustain the result, you can use skin lighteners other than hydroquinone with retinoids. However, you can take hydroquinone therapy as needed. “How to Cure Melasma?”
Takeaway Message About Melasma
The necessary element in melasma care is always to use skin protection and to avoid added triggers like hormone medicines if possible. Prevention is the most incredible option because none of the available therapies are cures. Therefore, Melasma patients should consult a board-certified dermatologist for an judgement and appropriate treatment regimens to control their condition and maintain their treatment results. I hope this article has helped you to know “How to Cure Melasma?”
Disclaimer:
The aim of the article is for information purpose. Therefore, before using any creams or medications, consult with a doctor or dermatologist.
