Melasma or "mask of pregnancy" is common among women of child bearing age or using birth control pills. If your origin is of an ethnic, your chances of having melasma are higher. Usually, it appears on the face, arms, and neck in the form of large brownish patches. This can hurt your self-esteem. You are here because you want the best treatment for melasma.
Though you can't cure melasma with medications but there are remedies that you can consult your dermatologist to fade its appearances.
If you visit a dermatologist, usually a triple topical therapy will be recommended. It consists of hydroquinone, tretinoin, and steroid cream. The strength of hydroquinone in this therapy can be as high as 8%. However, hydroquinone when used in higher concentration (above 4%) or too long may increase the risk of ochronosis, an irreversible skin discoloration.
Sometimes, after being treated with triple topical therapy, you don't see any improvement. Your dermatologist may recommend non-ablative fractional lasers (such as Fraxel), which is an FDA approved treatment for melasma. Unfortunately, the relapse of melasma is very high. And sometimes, your mask can get worse. Furthermore, you need a series of 5 or more sessions as the result takes time. And it is not a suitable choice if your skin tone is dark.
You may even want to consider chemical peels which uses alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid. Some believe it can remove the excess pigments from the skin. But most dermatologists would recommend it as a maintenance therapy as the recurrence rate of melasma is high.
Though you can't cure melasma with medications but there are remedies that you can consult your dermatologist to fade its appearances.
Common Treatments For Melasma
If you visit a dermatologist, usually a triple topical therapy will be recommended. It consists of hydroquinone, tretinoin, and steroid cream. The strength of hydroquinone in this therapy can be as high as 8%. However, hydroquinone when used in higher concentration (above 4%) or too long may increase the risk of ochronosis, an irreversible skin discoloration.
Sometimes, after being treated with triple topical therapy, you don't see any improvement. Your dermatologist may recommend non-ablative fractional lasers (such as Fraxel), which is an FDA approved treatment for melasma. Unfortunately, the relapse of melasma is very high. And sometimes, your mask can get worse. Furthermore, you need a series of 5 or more sessions as the result takes time. And it is not a suitable choice if your skin tone is dark.
You may even want to consider chemical peels which uses alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid. Some believe it can remove the excess pigments from the skin. But most dermatologists would recommend it as a maintenance therapy as the recurrence rate of melasma is high.
What Is The Best Melasma Treatment
The standard remedies may not be effective. Treating melasma for best results require a combination approach. A single approach may not sustain the result for long. Here is a three-fold strategy to get rid of melasma.
- Check the hormonal factors.
- Practice good UV protection to lower the relapse of melanin and to prevent it from getting worse.
- Reduce the melanin production.
For hormonal factors, it would be ideal to stop using estrogen based products or birth control pills. The mask of pregnancy can be resistant to treatment if you continue using birth control pills.
As far as sun protection is concerned, always wear a wide brimmed hat, UV protective clothing, and sunglasses. Don't skip applying sunscreen whenever you go out. Even the weather is cloudy, you must wear sunscreen as the UV factor is present.
Choose a broad spectrum sunblock that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. This offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays. The SPF should be at least 30. So, this is what you should look for when shopping for the best sunscreen for melasma. Just remember that UV light can trigger melanocytes to produce excess melanin even if it has been treated.
To treat melasma at home, you can use these topical lightening agents. Melasma creams should contain active ingredients such as kojic acid, arbutin, and gigawhite which can interfere the melanin production, fading the marks. Tina Alster, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center advises not to use hydroquinone based skin lightening creams. One product that can stop the melanocytes from going hyperdrive is Meladerm. It has more than 10 lightening ingredients. All of them are plant extracts. It is the best cream for melasma
Check out what other users say about Meladerm in treating their melasma.
To treat melasma at home, you can use these topical lightening agents. Melasma creams should contain active ingredients such as kojic acid, arbutin, and gigawhite which can interfere the melanin production, fading the marks. Tina Alster, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center advises not to use hydroquinone based skin lightening creams. One product that can stop the melanocytes from going hyperdrive is Meladerm. It has more than 10 lightening ingredients. All of them are plant extracts. It is the best cream for melasma
Check out what other users say about Meladerm in treating their melasma.
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