With scorching summers on the head and autumn approaching quickly, now is the time to assess the adverse effects of sun rays on our skin. Despite wearing sunblock religiously and avoiding stepping out during peak sun hours, our skin still sustains sun damage.

The sun damage can be revealed in many ways, but the most common among them is the increased brown pigment known as Melasma.

Through this blog, we will discuss Melasma: Symptoms, Causes and the Treatments available at Skin Decor in detail.

Under Melasma, also known as “the mask of pregnancy”, generally pigment patches appear on the forehead, cheeks, nose, and the skin above the upper lip in a somewhat symmetrical pattern. It affects women more than men and this is so because of the natural internal or prescription hormones. Also, people with dark skin tones tend to be more prone to melasma.

Causes of Melasma

It is not easy to check for the exact cause of melasma. As mentioned above, people with darker skin tones are more at risk of having melasma in comparison to the people with fair skin. Some common causes found to be associated with this condition are estrogen and progesterone sensitivity, which in a way means that birth control pills, pregnancy, and hormone therapy can all be the triggers for melasma. Stress and thyroid can also be considered the causes of the same.

In addition to the above causes, sun exposure is also known to cause melasma due to ultraviolet rays affecting the cells controlling the pigment melanocytes.

Symptoms of Melasma

Melasma is known to cause patches of discolouration and these patches are darker than the usual skin tone. They typically occur on the face and are symmetrical. Other body parts which are often exposed to the Sun can also develop melasma.

Brown coloured patches are usually seen on cheeks, forehead, bridge of the nose, and chin.

These patches can also occur on the neck and forearms. Though this kind of skin discolouration is not known to cause any physical harm, the person may feel self-conscious about the looks.

Note: It is advised to consult a dermatologist, the moment you start noticing the symptoms of melasma as dermatologists are specialized in treating skin disorders.

Treatments available for Melasma

Melasma can be stubborn. Treating Melasma is generally much more complex as compared to treating other types of brown spots because of wide variations in responses. Also, it may take a few months of treatments to see improved results. In order to get the most benefit from the treatments, it is very important to keep treating your skin on a regular basis. This may also prevent melasma from returning.

At Skin Decor, a thorough skin analysis is done and customized treatment plan is devised accordingly which may include medical treatment, chemical peels and laser therapy. Dr. Monica Chahar’s (MD, Dermatology) signature SPOTZERO treatment is a cutting edge innovation which is known to give therapeutic and long-lasting effects.

I hope you find the above article helpful and informative. For all your Skin and Hair related issues, you can visit Skin Decor (Skin, Laser & Hair clinic) located in Dwarka, New Delhi to get the best solutions for all your problems. :)