Overview
Melasma [1] is a skin condition that causes your skin to get discolored with gray or brown areas. Anybody can experience it, and while it poses no health risks, it can be an annoyance in terms of appearance. The skin’s exposed parts that are most frequently affected by melasma include:
- chin and upper lip
- Cheeks
- forehead, and any other sun-exposed skin (occasionally)
Melasma can be traced to melanocytes in the skin that produce excess pigmentation, which frequently affects women with darker skin tones since they have more melanocytes. Sun exposure is the main contributor to melasma formation.
Also linked to female hormones, melasma is more prevalent in women who are expecting or using hormonal birth control. Genetics and particular drugs can also contribute to melasma.
Women are more likely than men to develop melasma. It affects people with light brown skin from areas of the world that receive a lot of sun exposure.
According to estimates, it varies significantly across ethnic groups in the United States, from 8.8% among Latinos to 13.4% to 15.5% among Arab-Americans living in Michigan to 40% among females of Southeast Asian communities. It’s crucial to remember that, in addition to heredity, the stress of living with racism, discrimination, and racist systems may contribute to the development of the disorder. The disease carries no risk of developing melanoma and is not linked to skin cancer.
Some common natural treatments for melasma include:
- Using high SPF sunscreen
- applying aloe vera to your skin
- consuming glutathione
Additionally, over-the-counter (OTC) lightening creams are offered. Another treatment option is chemical peels.
Even dermatologists do not agree that laser therapy is a wise choice. If topical therapies as a first line of treatment and chemical peels as a second line of treatment are ineffective for treating the problem, it may be taken into consideration. Inflammation and hyperpigmentation are serious risks. Small sample sizes have a limit on the trials for laser treatments.