Have you noticed blotchy, darkened pigment across your face? Is it getting worse? You may have melasma.
Melasma is a common pigment condition, however most women don’t know they have it. It’s often called the pregnancy mask because it can darken throughout pregnancy before gradually fading (to some degree) several months later. Melasma has a certain look to it, making it distinctive from other forms of pigmentation like freckles, sunspots, and birthmarks. It has a lacey border and is usually symmetrical. It often presents across the top lip, forehead, cheeks and/or nose. It easily darkens with even the smallest amount of sun exposure or heat. It can be faint or more obvious, depending on where it lies in the skin and how well it’s looked after.
Melasma is incurable, but with stringent management it can be kept under control. It is vital that those with melasma wear SPF50+ every single day. We love our Mesoestetic Sun Stick 100 for optimal UV protection. Its solid stick form is water resistant to 4 hours, and it has both physical and chemical filters to protect melasma. Using sunscreen to combat melasma is a MUST, especially for our Cairns clients who are exposed to high UV levels most days of the year. Other management strategies we recommend include:
- Wearing wide-brimmed hats when outside
- Using cosmeceutical ingredients like glycolic acid, vitamins A, B, & C, and kojic acid
- Using prescription skincare creams containing hydroquinone and tretinoin
- Having professional skin treatments:
- Peels
- PRP
- IPL/ laser
Melasma must be treated with caution. Some treatments can actually make it worse. The best way to manage melasma involves using good quality targeted skincare, including daily sunscreen, as well as undergoing mild professional skin treatments. The team at EA Aesthetics understand how to approach melasma and can help you manage it. Message the clinic for a skin analysis and consultation today.
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EA Aesthetics- Cairns injectables and cosmetic clinic.
