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Melasma
Melasma
Melasma is a common pigmentation disorder that causes brown or gray spots to appear on the skin, especially in the face area. The most common areas for melasma to appear on the face include: the bridge of the nose, the forehead, the front of the head, the cheeks and the upper lip. Also, melasma may appear in other areas of the body, especially those that are exposed to a lot of sunlight, such as: forearms, neck, and shoulders. Women are more likely to suffer from melasma than men, as studies show that only 10% of all cases of melasma occur in men. Dark-skinned women who are pregnant are more likely to develop melasma. The exact cause of melasma is not known, but it is likely that it occurs due to a defect in the melanocytes that give the skin its natural color, which causes the production of excessive amounts of skin pigment. Triggers for the appearance of melasma include: hormonal changes during pregnancy, hormonal therapy, taking birth control pills, exposure to the sun, and the use of certain skin care products that cause skin irritation. It is worth saying that melasma may be hereditary, as people who have close relatives with melasma are more likely than others to develop melasma.
The causes of the appearance of melasma
The following are the most important reasons that lead to the emergence of melasma:
An abnormality in melanocytes (cells responsible for the color of the skin), which causes discoloration.
skin colour;
Whereas, dark-skinned people are more likely to develop melasma than others. Because they have more melanocytes than people with fair skin. Among the triggers for the emergence of melasma are the following:
_ Hormonal changes during pregnancy, hormone therapy, or due to the use of contraceptives and birth control pills.
_ Exposure to too much sun.
_ Use of certain skin care products that cause irritation.
_ Hereditary factor; As people whose relatives have suffered from melasma are more likely to have it.
Melasma symptoms:
The appearance of melasma does not cause physical harm, but its appearance may cause concern to those who suffer from it, and in the event that spots of melasma appear, it is advised to see a specialist dermatologist, to choose the appropriate treatment, as melasma causes spots that appear as a result of discoloration, and these spots are usually darker than the color of the skin. Natural. They usually appear on the face and sides, and they may appear in other places of the body, which are those that are often exposed to the sun. Among these places where the spots of melasma usually appear are:
Cheeks. Forehead. Nose bridge. the chin. Neck and forearms.
Melasma treatment:
Melasma can be prevented by avoiding direct exposure to sunlight by wearing hats and using a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 50, and contains physical blockers, such as: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to prevent ultraviolet rays. And not relying on sunscreens that contain chemical blockers only because they do not block UVA and UVB rays sufficiently. Sunscreen should be used daily when going outside to enhance the effectiveness of melasma treatments and limit further development of spots.
Pharmacological treatments:
Melasma due to pregnancy or the use of the contraceptive pill can disappear automatically after childbirth or stop using the pill. However, for some people, melasma may last for several years or for a lifetime. In cases where the melasma does not disappear on its own, melasma can be treated through several methods, and it should be noted that the treatment of melasma under the care of a dermatologist may take a few months to see improvement, as melasma may be stubborn and not disappear easily. . It should also be noted that treatment may continue for a period after eliminating the melasma to prevent the recurrence of the melasma again. To ensure that treatment does not fail, people should reduce exposure to sunlight, and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should not treat melasma without consulting a doctor because of the potential risks of the drugs on the development of the fetus and newborn. Methods for treating melasma include the following:
_ Hydroquinone:
Hydroquinone is the first treatment for melasma. It comes in several pharmaceutical forms, including: cream, lotion, and gel. This drug is applied topically to the skin to lighten the skin. It is available in concentrations as low as 2%, and higher concentrations up to 4%, and it is reported that a higher concentration is associated with a greater risk of skin irritation than a lower concentration. Hydroquinone should be applied to the melasma spots twice daily, with the need to apply sunscreen over the hydroquinone in the morning. Potential side effects of melasma treatments include: temporary skin irritation, and people who use hydroquinone therapy in very high concentrations for long periods ranging from several months to years are at risk of developing a side effect called exogenous ochronosis; It is a permanent change in the color of the skin during the use of hydroquinone, and it is more common if high concentrations of hydroquinone exceeding 4% are used.
_ Tretinoin and corticosteroids:
These drugs help increase the effectiveness of skin lightening treatments, examples of which are: Retinoic acid at a concentration of 0.025-0.1%, Tazarotene at a concentration of 0.05-0.1%, and Adapalene at a concentration of 0.1-0.3%
_ Other topical medications:
The dermatologist may prescribe Azelaic acid at a concentration of 15-20%, or Kojic acid, lotion of lactic acid at a concentration of 12%, and creams of glycolic acid at a concentration of 10-20%, And a high concentration glycolic acid scrub to help reduce melasma.
Medical procedures:
If the previously mentioned medicines do not treat melasma, the doctor may resort to other methods of treatment. It should be said that there is no guarantee that these measures will be effective in getting rid of freckles, or reducing the stains resulting from it, and it should be said that very harsh treatments or abrasive treatments can cause or increase the symptoms of melasma. Other treatments for melasma include many procedures such as: chemical peels, skin scraping, or laser treatment, and the following are a list of those procedures:
_ Chemical peel: Melasma is treated with chemical peeling under the supervision of a doctor through the use of chemicals for peeling such as glycolic acid with concentrations ranging from 30-70%, or through the use of different formulations such as: the mixture consisting of 10% of glycolic acid And 2% hydroquinone.
_ Microdermabrasion: During this procedure, the skin is peeled and regenerated using soft crystals such as: fine diamond chips or aluminum oxide crystals, in addition to the use of a vacuum pump. The treatment is done in the form of several sessions lasting from a few minutes to one hour. It should be noted that the patient should also use sunscreen and other creams to get the best results.
_ Laser treatment: Laser can be used to treat melasma, but its results are usually temporary, as studies have shown that the laser does not reduce hyperpigmentation of the skin and may increase the symptoms of some types of melasma, so you should consult your doctor before using the laser as a treatment for melasma. The use of lasers to treat melasma may require several sessions before seeing the expected results.
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