Melasma

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Melasma is a skin disorder that appears as irregular brown skin patches on the cheeks, nose, forehead and upper lip. Melasma is not dangerous, but can impair your appearance, personality and self confidence. Various options of treatment are available and dermatologists found the melasma laser treatment to be effective of all. Causes of melasma: Melasma is caused due to an over production of melanin. Melanin is the substance that imparts color to the skin. The exact cause for this type of hyperpigmentation is not known. However, the main four factors that contribute to melasma are hormone, genetics, skin inflammation and sun exposure. Intense exposure to sun can worsen the problem. Pregnancy and menopause also can trigger melasma. It is common among pregnant women and is referred as “the mask of pregnancy”. Who is affected? Melasma is very common among women, affecting about 45 million people worldwide. It is common among people having dark skin tones than the lighter ones. It is more common among women during pregnancy, or with those women taking hormone replacement drugs or birth control pills. Melasma can also affect men, but it is rare. Types: There are three types of melasma: • Epidermal • Dermal • Mixed Epidermal plasma develops close to the surface of skin and can be easily controlled. Dermal plasma that occurs deep in the skin layers are difficult to treat. Mixed plasma is a condition when both the types are present. Melasma laser treatment: Melasma laser skin resurfacing This process is precise and can be performed either on the entire face or a particular portion of the face. Laser resurfacing can treat other irregularities and imperfections in the skin texture and pigment. This form of melasma laser trea... ... middle of paper ... ... 30 to 60 after the treatment. Sun damage is a primary factor causing melasma; hence always use a sunscreen, no matter what your skin type is. Other methods of melasma treatment: Protection from the sunlight is very essential for treating melasma. It is advisable to use a good sunscreen lotion of high SPF that protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays. You can prevent skin discoloration by covering your body. When melasma affects only the epidermal layers, the chemical peels and skin lightening agents can work well in such cases. There are also bleaching agents that do not bleach your skin, but decrease the activity of melanin. They help in reducing the appearance of skin discolorations and dark spots. The effectiveness of bleach and skin lightening varies from person to person. It is advisable to consult a dermatologist before beginning the melasma treatment.

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