Melasma is a common skin condition in which the skin develops dark and discolored patches. These patches are typically found on the face, but can develop on other areas of the body as well. It’s easy to get melasma confused with hyperpigmentation because they look similar. However, hyperpigmentation is usually more random as far as how the dark spots look and it is mostly caused by external factors, like excessive sun exposure.
Some cases of melasma will subside on their own over time and the skin will turn back to normal. Other more severe cases could involve undergoing skincare treatments for an extended period of time and only seeing minimal results. One treatment option medical professionals consider is laser therapy, which we explain a little later. The good news is melasma is considered to be a cosmetic condition rather than a medical condition, so it’s not harmful to your overall health in any way.
What Causes Melasma?
According to MyHealth.Alberta.Ca, even medical professionals are unsure about what exactly causes melasma. However, they do believe it has a strong correlation with changes in hormone levels, reactions to cosmetics or even medication usage. Examples of these factors can include:
- Pregnancy
- Birth control pills
- Hormone disorders
- Thyroid disease
- Stress
- Excessive sun exposure
- Skin products that irritate the skin
While the exact cause of melasma is uncertain, the reason it develops is due to the fact that when melanocytes in the skin work too hard, they produce too much color. And since people with darker skin have more melanocytes than people with lighter skin, they are usually more likely to develop melasma at some point.
Proactive Care At Home Promotes Even Skin Tones
Even though many people understand melasma does not signify any medical issues, it’s still common to try different methods to reduce the appearance and create even skin tones. The American Academy of Dermatology Association offers some tips to help make your melasma not look as obvious on your skin, such as:
- Protecting your skin as much as possible when outdoors. This can include wearing long-sleeves, wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen. While sunlight may not directly cause melasma, it can trigger it if it’s already present.
- Choosing moisturizing skin products that don’t irritate the skin, which could make the presence of melasma worse.
- Waxing or other actions that can lead to skin inflammation should be avoided, as melasma can worsen with these actions as well.
Being conscious of your skincare routine at home can go a long way in keeping your melasma under control. If you’ve seemingly tried everything you can think of to produce more even skin tones, the next step is to seek the advice of a medical professional for alternative treatment options.
Available Treatment Options For Melasma
You can find many different articles and information online about how to treat melasma, but be careful about which sources you trust. While things like chemical peels and creams may have an impact on melasma, the most effective treatment option is with laser therapy. The QuadroStar Pro Yellow laser is the best and most effective on the market today, so ask your medical professional if it may be a viable option for your condition.
The laser therapy treatment works by sending laser beams through the skin to create tiny polka dot patterned columns in the skin. Your body naturally works to repair these columns, which involves pushing out old skin and replacing it with new skin. It’s possible to see results with a single treatment, but you may need to get treated multiple times over several months, depending on the severity of your melasma.
Always Follow Recommendations From Your Medical Professional
As with anything dealing with your skin, it’s always advisable to seek advice from a medical professional before undergoing any major skincare treatments. With laser therapy becoming more popular for various treatments, more unqualified and untrained people are claiming to be experts. While these people may offer laser therapy treatments at a lower cost, you could be putting your skin and body at risk of permanent damage that’s much worse than dealing with melasma.
A reputable medical professional can show you their certifications, before and after photos and answer any questions you have about laser therapy. The QuadroStar Pro Yellow laser is the top option for laser treatments today, so always be sure to ask your medical professional which laser they use and why. Transparency is important to pay attention to with the professional you talk to, especially when dealing with a condition like melasma.
Skin Deep Laser Services uses only the best laser equipment and techniques to produce exceptional results for our clients. Our medical professionals are highly trained and experienced to handle any laser therapy treatments you need. Before recommending any treatment option, we will do a thorough evaluation of your condition and medical history to determine the safest and most effective option. We want you to understand every factor that goes into our recommendation and we welcome any questions you have.
Whether you just noticed melasma on your skin recently or if you’ve dealt with it for a long time, feel free to reach out to us at any time to schedule a consultation and see how we may be able to help.