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I suggest a formal consultation as melasma is a chronic skin condition that needs skin lightening, lasers, microneedling/PRP for improvement and maintenance. Best, Dr. Emer.
There are many precipitors for melasma and pigmentation. I would start with the Melarase Brightening Kit with Melapads, Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Replenish; followed by a combination of Covalent peels, Yag laser, and light fractional laser. Best, Dr. KaramanoukianRealself100 Surgeon
Steaming or heat is not advised, nor is it helpful to reduce or treat or prevent melasma.Melasma needs long term commitment with skin care and avoidance of skin factors such as sun exposure (Spectrase Sun Block) which has wide UV spectrum and SPF 30+ protection. Daily good habits with topicals may well help you chieve your goals with a good skin system like the Brightening Kit from KareSkin (see link). You may want to start with Melarase and Pigmentation Correction Complex. Scler-X from another vendor is for PIH relief (see link). Melarase AM is non hydroquinone based. Clear + Brilliant laser can be added once you start your pretreatment with topicals. BestH Karamanoukian MD FACS Tweet
Heat can exacerbate melasma, steaming your face may cause it to get worse. Avoid sun exposure and be diligent with your sunscreen!
If anything, heat could make your melasma darker, but certainly will not help it. A cosmetic dermatologist can examine you and can offer topical medication and treatments depending on your skin type. Sun avoidance is most important.
No formal studies on the effects of steam and melasma, so unlike you will get a scientific answer. We know that UV and hormones mediate this condition, but steam will have no effect on melanocyte activity (unless I am proved wrong by recent studies). Melasma is a very common cause of skin pigmentation. It can not be completely cured, however effective treatment are possible. This is because your skin is extremely sensitive to UV and even the smallest amount can stimulate your pigment cells to produce colour. The mainstay of treatment is strict UV protection- hats, sunglasses and SPF every 4 hours. This forms the foundation of all treatments. I prefer to use a combination of creams and laser for melasma. Hydroquinone can be used (5-8%), along with vitamin A creams or Meladerm. I start my patients on laser (low dose Q switch or Picosure) as this has shown to decrease pigment production by decreasing the activity of the cells that produce pigment. Laser itself is not aimed at ‘blasting’ pigment, but to slow down the rate of melanin production. Another laser I use is the Clear and Brilliant in the 1927 Permea setting combined with creams. IPL should never be used to treat mixed melasma as it often worsens the condition (this is termed ‘Rebound Melasma’) In some cases I combine glycolic AHA peels, and in other cases I use a tablet called Tranexamic acid to help. Melasma treatments should be tailored to each patient according the type of melasma. Majority of patients will have mixed dermal and epidermal melasma. Approach melasma as a medical condition and not a cosmetic concern, and the success rate will be much higher. See a Board Certified Laser dermatologist with a special interest in disorders in pigmentation as well as one who has experience in treating all skin types, including darker Ethnic skin. All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Laser, surgical and aesthetic dermatologist. Brisbane, Australia.
Any treatment which causes significant trauma to the skin whether it is heat, cold or light can lead to scarring. Liquid nitrogen would not be my first option to remove sun spots with the availability of IPL and other light based sources such as a q switched laser which can limit collateral...
Thank you for your question, Melasma needs a combination approach to get the best improvement and will need a series of treatments. In our practice, we combine Clear + Brilliant, peels, microneedling/PRP, Aerolase, and sometimes Erbium (Cool Laser) to get the best results. See an expert for a ...
OK, this is going to be tough. I generally limit the chemicals placed on the face if one has melasma, and tend to treat with adjunctive lasers. I would personally titrate HQ at night, and clindamycin during the day, but politically speaking, go with your dermatologist advice. I prefer not to u...