Melasma Skin Disorder

The Melasma Skin Disorder is a dermatological disorder in which there is a hypermelanosis in those areas of the skin that are sun-exposed. In simpler words, the Melasma Skin Disorder is a dark coloration on the skin and the most common locations where it occurs are the chin, cheeks, forehead and upper lip. Melasma Skin Disorder is basically an acquired skin disorder. Though this disorder can affect anyone, the Melasma Skin Disorder targets mostly women as compared to men and almost in 90% of the reported cases of Melasma Skin Disorder; the women are the affected group. The Melasma Skin Disorder is mostly common in pregnant women (that is why it is also called ‘the mask of pregnancy’) or in the case of those who take oral contraceptives. Even those women who are undergoing medications of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) are susceptible to this Melasma Skin Disorder. There are many cases where the Melasma Skin Disorder is directly related to hormonal activity in females. There could be other implicit factors like thyroid or ovarian dysfunctions. The progression of the Melasma Skin Disorder is mostly attributed to more consistent exposure to sunlight.

The symptoms of this Melasma Skin Disorder are primarily cosmetic discoloration and it is not yet know to cause any other symptoms. The Melasma Skin Disorder generally starts off in irregular and dark patches that mostly form on the nose, upper cheek, upper lip, lips and the forehead areas. These dark patches then tend to gradually develop and grow into the Melasma Skin Disorder over a span of time. The hyper- pigmentation caused during the Melasma Skin Disorder is usually brown or tan in color. This is mostly in cases when the epidermis is affected and when the hyper pigmentation results in black or blue patches on the skin, the strain are then called Dermal Melasma Skin Disorder.

Women with a light brown skin color and who are living in those places where there is intense exposure to sunlight are more liable to suffer from the Melasma Skin Disorder. Melasma Skin Disorder has been explained as the stimulation of the pigment-producing cells or melanocytes by the sex hormones of females, progesterone and estrogen, this stimulation causes the production of excess melanin pigment when you are having excessive exposure to sunlight. Another primary factor causing the outbreak of the Melasma Skin Disorder is the fact of genetic predisposition. Around 30% of the affected cases are those who have a family history of the Melasma Skin Disorder. Those already suffering from thyroid disease stand at a greater chance of developing the Melasma Skin Disorder. One of the exceptional causes of the Melasma Skin Disorder could be a reaction or allergy to some cosmetics or medications.

To diagnose the Melasma Skin Disorder, a Wood Lamp is used, which detects the excess of melanin in epidermis so it can be differentiated from the melanin in the dermis. In order to speed up the process of the fading of the patches on the skin, the prescription Hydroquinone or Tretinon can be used. Chemical peels containing glycolic acid or facial peels containing alpha hydroxyacids can also be used. Even laser treatment can help fade away the patches in this Melasma Skin Disorder.