Melasma is condition in which dark brown to black colour patches present appear all over the face. It is a common condition experienced in the tropical regions including India. It affects 1.5 to 33.5% people of India. Females are more affected than males, especially during adulthood. It can be a frustrating skin disorder with a deep psychological impact.
Common causes of Melasma:
There are many causes of melasma like genetic familial, drug induced disorder, sun exposure, stress induced and due to hormonal changes.
Morphology includes: Dark colour pigmentation on nose and cheeks.
Treatment include topical treatment and oral medication:
1. Topical medication includes:
a. Application of cream:
Which includes hydroquinone, Azelaic acid, glycolic acid, kojic acid and retinoic acid. It require prolong time to effect.
b. Chemical peel:
It helps to exfoliate the skin, reduce melasma pigmentation, reduce photodamage skin, increase synthesis of collagen, thereby reducing wrinkles and improve texture of skin.
1. Glycolic acid
2. Azelaic acid
3. Lactic acid
4. Kojic acid
c. Combination of peel:
Combination of different peels with topical medication helps to reduce pigmentation effectively.
d. Laser:
Laser includes IPL, erbium- yag laser, ND-YAG laser. Laser takes some time to treat melasma.