Melasma Facts in Philadelphia

Is your skin discolored from the sun? It may be Melasma
Melasma (also known as Chloasma, or “mask of pregnancy” ) is a common increase of pigmentation that occurs exclusively in sun-exposed areas, in particular on the face. It usually causes three different patterns of symmetrical pigmentation on the face, affecting most commonly the central face (cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose and chin); or less commonly the cheeks and nose, or the cheeks and jawline.
Melasma usually improves– sometimes to great extent– in response to faithful use of medical grade sun screen, hyrdroquinone which is a bleaching cream used every night, Fraxel laser resurfacing or chemical peels. Sun protection needs to be continued long term in order to reduce the risk of relapse of melasma.
Some facts about Melasma:
· It is much more common in women between the ages of 20-40, especially pregnant women
· Melasma is less common in older women, and is seldom seen in women taking estrogen replacement therapy
· Melasma occurs as a result of excess melanin production in skin cells. The reason is unclear, but scientists say there are several factors including sun damage and estrogen levels.
· Sometime is mistaken for freckles or age spots, which are essentially the same thing, however, melasma spots can be larger and much darker and can take on random shapes.
· Heat can trigger melasma

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