What Causes Melasma?

Having melasma is difficult. Many like you tell us that it negatively impacts their emotional and mental health.  Many feel frustrated, disappointed and depressed by it. We truly feel for our melasma patients. If you’re fighting this tough skin problem, we understand. And yes, you want to know why you have melasma and what causes it? Unfortunately, we don’t fully understand why you get it. But we can tell you that it isn’t due to anything that you did or didn’t do to your skin.

While this answer may relieve you from feeling responsible for your melasma it also can make you even more frustrated not knowing! But you are not powerless. While there is no cure for melasma, it is controllable. Here’s what we know about Melasma:

• It is a condition that triggers the appearance of light to dark brown patches on the face (cheeks, forehead, upper lip, and chin).

• It is more common in those with olive skin types such as Asians or Hispanics.

• It is due to the overproduction of melanin (skin pigment). Melanocytes (pigment-producing cells of the skin) are sensitive and easily stimulated in those who have it.

• Hormonal changes (oral contraceptive use, menopause or pregnancy) can trigger its appearance, and it often gets worse with sun exposure, heat and humidity.

• The excess pigmentation can be deep (in the dermis), shallow (in the epidermis), or present in both layers of the skin. This can affect how difficult it is to control the Melasma.

It is important to reiterate that although it’s not curable, melasma can be effectively controlled. Sometimes, eliminating a stimulating factor such as sun exposure or stopping the pill can make a huge difference on how your melasma responds to pigment-fading treatments.

Your biggest key to successful treatment of Melasma is understanding your condition and working with a knowledgeable provider who can help you determine the treatments that would benefit you most.

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