Melasma Hyperpigmentation

What does melasma hyperpigmentation look like?

Melasma hyperpigmentation is a type of blemish or discoloration you can get on your skin. Melasma typically looks like pigmented spots that are darker than your natural skin tone, usually brown, black, or blue-gray. 

The most common areas for melasma are your:

• Cheeks
• Forehead
• Chin 
• Upper lip

Sometimes melasma spotting shows up on your chest, neck, or arms, but facial melasma is most common. 

Some may say that melasma hyperpigmentation looks like heavy freckling, but having melasma isn’t the same as having freckles. While melasma is commonly mistaken for other conditions, it’s a distinctive type of skin pigmentation that sometimes goes away on its own. 

Am I at risk of getting melasma hyperpigmentation?

Melasma’s nickname is “the mask of pregnancy” because the condition is common among pregnant women. It can also show up when you start taking hormonal birth control pills as the condition is hormone-related. For many women, melasma goes away almost immediately after going off birth control or after birthing your child. 

You might also be at a higher risk of getting melasma if you:

• Are a woman
• Have medium- or dark-toned skin
• Take hormones in any form
• Are between ages 20 and 40
• Have relatives with melasma
• Get a lot of sun exposure
• Use tanning beds
• Have thyroid disease

If your melasma hyperpigmentation doesn’t disappear on its own, the Dermatology Associates team examines your skin and can recommend evidence-based treatments. If you get melasma during pregnancy, you must wait until after you give birth to treat it. 

How do dermatologists treat melasma hyperpigmentation?

Melasma hyperpigmentation usually isn’t permanent, but it’s a chronic (long-lasting) disorder. You can expect the spotting to stick around for years without treatment. The discoloration is visible but not uncomfortable, so it’s up to you if you want to treat the condition for cosmetic reasons. 

Even experts run into challenges while treating melasma. There’s no singular cure for the condition, but avoiding specific triggers for melasma like hormones and LED light may reduce the pigmentation. The team at Dermatology Associates may also prescribe medications to reduce your skin’s pigmentation or direct you to cosmetic procedures like chemical peels to increase cell turnover in your skin.  

To learn more about melasma hyperpigmentation and what you can do to reduce it, call Dermatology Associates or schedule an appointment online today.