Melasma is a common condition that gives rise to brown or gray marks appearing on the skin. These marks usually appear on the face and are darker than an individual’s skin tone. People with melasma often experience low self-esteem, shame, and lack of motivation to go in public. Fortunately, you can treat melasma in Glen Allen to overcome this embarrassing condition. They offer effective treatments for melasma that bring long-lasting results.
What Causes Melasma
The main cause of melasma is exposure to excess sunlight. Primarily, the sunlight triggers the skin to generate more melanin in some body areas than others. As a result, irregular patches give rise to melasma. In addition, the sun stimulates the damage to the skin by tearing down the skin layers and facilitating elastin and collagen breakdown. On the other hand, melasma is most likely interconnected to female hormones and is prone to occur commonly in women using contraceptives or pregnant women. Other contributing factors include medications that accelerate sun sensitivity, hormones such as thyroid and adrenal, and heat exposure.
How to Know You Have Melasma
Mainly, melasma is noticed in people with light brown skin compared to dark skin tones. Besides, this condition mostly affects women more than men. Melasma commonly appears on the forehead, cheeks, chin, nose bridge, and upper lip. It also affects other body areas, especially those that disclose too much sunlight. Such areas include the neck, shoulders, and forearms. In some cases, the large spots of melasma unite closely to form large areas of melasma, while in others, it can be more noticeable in one place than the other. For example, melasma appears more on the jawline, cheeks, or nose area.
How to Treat Melasma
Melasma is a condition that can fade on its own, typically when a medication or pregnancy causes it. Thus, melasma goes away when you cease taking the medication or give birth. Although melasma can last many years, it can’t harm your body. However, if you are uncomfortable with it, you can visit your dermatologist and seek treatment. This treatment will help restore your skin tone to your natural color and decrease the pigmentation amount your body makes. One treatment plan your dermatologist will give you is the use of sunscreen. The most recommended sunscreens contain iron oxide, titanium oxide, and zinc oxide, which help to protect your skin from sunlight. Secondly, your dermatologist can prescribe medication to help decrease your skin’s excess pigment.
How to Prevent Melasma
The best way to manage melasma is by wearing sunscreen, avoiding sunlight exposure, and avoiding using birth control that has hormones and irritating soaps. Another way to prevent melasma is practicing general skincare that helps build a strong barrier to reducing the irritation related to skin diseases. If you are using skincare products that burn after use, it will irritate your skin and may result in darker patches. Therefore, you should use a gentle skin care product to help soothe and maintain your skin.
You may notice no improvement even after using oral or topical medications. Hence, incorporating other procedures, such as laser therapies or chemical peels, can be important. After getting positive results on your skin, remember to keep maintaining and preventing the skin from further damage.
