Reduce Pigmentation

What is melasma ?

Melasma is one type of skin disease when the melanocyte are overactive, it creates too much amount of melanin therefore brown spot appears. Melasma is not a dangerous skin disease and have zero chance of becoming cancer. The main concern for melasma patient is the aesthetic reason as they usually lose confident. Melasma is considered a difficult and time-consuming treatment and it needs patient’s patience.

What causes melasma ?

• Sunlight
  UV ray from sunlight are the main stimulator for the melanocyte to become hyperactive creating more melanin than usual 
• Genetic
  Your skin type are passed on from your parent. If your parent have melasma it is more likely that you will have melasma too
• Race
  There are report indicating that Asian people are more likely to have melasma than European people. 
• Gender and Hormone
  Having women’s hormone increase the possibility of having melasma. Therefore, women have melasma more than men. Some women have melasma while pregnancy or while taking birth control pills. 
• Congenital disease and medication used
  Melasma can appear after taking anticonvulsants medication

Is melasma and freckle the same? What is the difference ?

Melasma and freckle are quite similar, both are caused by overactive melanocyte. However, the stimulator are different, it appears on different skin layer so the spot looks different and the method use to treat is also different.

Why melasma appear on cheek area ?

As mentioned above, the main stimulator that cause melasma is sunlight and the area that touches the most are forehead, nose and cheeks. This is because these area are curved out and therefore, melasma appear on that area the most.

What are the related cause that stimulate melasma?

• Perfume in cosmetics
  People with sensitive skin may be allergic to fragrances or ingredients in cosmetics. When an allergic reaction occurs, there will be itching, burning, acne, redness, and eventually form into brown/black spot.
  
• Applying cream
  Most common cream is acne cream that help exfoliate cell. Your skin will become sensitive to sunlight and turns into brown/black mark. Another common cream is cream that contain steroid. Most patient don’t know that it contain steroid until their skin got worsen.
  
• Friction and skin irritation
  Repeatedly squeezing, picking, scratching around in one area of the skin can stimulate melanocyte to become overactive and create brown/black mark. It is recommended to wash your face, apply cream or touch your face as gently as possible.

Different types of melasma

Melasma can be divided into 2 types which are superficial melasma and deep melasma. Both types of melasma are difficult to treat and takes time to heal. The difference is that deep melasma is more common and takes longer time to heal. Therefore, if the patient has deep melasma you must understand that it will take time to heal and you should follow the treatment procedure for best result.

5 ways to treat melasma pros and cons

What type of melasma can we use cream to treat ?

For superficial melasma when you use cream that contain correct ingredient and correct amount and apply regularly can help melasma to fade away. However, it is recommend to consult with the doctor before applying cream by yourself to prevent using wrong medication and getting darker melasma.