{"id":9211,"date":"2020-01-17T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=9211"},"modified":"2023-08-25T10:43:01","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T17:43:01","slug":"melasma-hyperpigmentation-hard-to-treat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/melasma-hyperpigmentation-hard-to-treat","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Understanding and Treating Melasma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Melasma is one of those skin issues that can easily fly under your radar, until you have it—and then the only question is “How do I make it go away?” And then “How do I make it go away faster<\/em>?” It’s a hyperpigmentation<\/a> concern, sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy,” a term that feels creepily old-fashioned plus overly specific. It’s not just pregnant women—or just women—who get melasma, and it doesn’t always look like a mask.<\/p>

To find out what exactly it is, what causes it, and how best to treat it, we talked to board-certified dermatologists Dr. Jennifer Janiga<\/a>, Dr. Amy Paul<\/a>, and Dr. Lorrie Klein<\/a>.  <\/p>

The short answer is, there’s no quick fix. But there are effective melasma treatments<\/a> and steps to take so you don’t inadvertently make it worse.<\/p>

Interested in melasma treatment?<\/small><\/div>Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

Melasma & hyperpigmentation: what’s the difference?<\/strong>  <\/h2>

To put it simply, melasma is just a type of hyperpigmentation—which is a term that refers to any area of the skin that’s darker than the rest<\/a>. “Hyperpigmentation can be the result of sun damage, injury, acne, or even products or cosmetic procedures, like lasers and chemical peels,” explains Dr. Klein. “Anything that inflames the skin can cause hyperpigmentation, especially in patients with deep skin tones.”<\/p>

But while all melasma is hyperpigmentation, not all hyperpigmentation is melasma. “Skin can hyperpigment from injuries, from the inside out—cystic acne, eczema,” explains Dr. Paul. Dermatologists usually use the words post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation<\/em> (PIH), because people don’t just hyperpigment for no reason. It’s typically a reaction to things like the sun (resulting in sunspots) or inflammation from acne. “<\/em>Melasma, on the other hand, is often hormone-dependent and much more common in women,” Dr. Paul clarifies.<\/p>

Melasma also doesn’t present itself on the skin in the same way that PIH might. Instead of appearing like sunspots or general discoloration, melasma appears blotchy and often more widely spread across the face. “It makes a specific pattern on the face, on the upper lip—people think it looks like a mustache—the cheeks, and sometimes the forehead. It’s kind of angular and patchy,” explains Dr. Janiga.<\/p>

Related: Hyperpigmentation: How 5 Skin Experts Treat Their Own Sun-Related Skin Damage<\/a><\/em><\/p>

What causes melasma?<\/strong><\/h2>

Unlike other common forms of pigmentation, melasma can be triggered by hormones, says Dr. Klein. It’s common for melasma to appear in women of childbearing age. “Probably, estrogen is the culprit,” continues Dr. Klein.<\/p>

According to Dr. Janiga, melasma can also be genetic. “People come to see me who’ve never taken birth control pills, [have] never been pregnant, and haven’t had a lot of sun exposure—and yet they have melasma,” she says.<\/p>

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