Melasma is a skin condition that causes dark tan patches on the face. It refers to a skin condition that’s triggered by hormonal changes and develops around the forehead, lips, nose, and cheekbones and it is the most common skin condition for pregnant women because of the changing of hormone levels that stimulate an excess production of melanin, which leads to hyperpigmentation. Other factors that can cause melasma are exposure to ultraviolet rays, having a familial history of this condition, and having a bright skin complexion.
There are several conventional treatments for melasma including the following:
Hydroquinone
This topical agent is used to lighten dark patches on the skin, but long-term can lead to adverse side effects like depigmentation and blue-black pigmentation.
Azelaic acid
This is an alternative to hydroquinone for the treatment of skin pigmentation.
Kojic acid
This agent made of fungi is used in many cosmetic products as a skin-lightening agent. But, it can lead to contact dermatitis and make the skin more susceptible to sunburn.
Retinoids
These agents are commonly used in photoaging therapy and to reverse skin aging. However, it can lead to irritant reactions such as burning, scaling, and dermatitis.
Topical steroids
These are commonly used in conventional medicine for a variety of skin conditions because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Glycolic acid
Glycolic acid is often used in chemical peels or depigmentation peels. It is made of crystals and it’s commonly added to cosmetic products as an exfoliating agent.
Mequinol
Mequinol is often used in combination with a topical retinoid called tretinoin for skin depigmentation.
Arbutin
Extracted from the bearberry plant, this agent is used to prevent the formation of melanin and is commonly added to skin-lightening products.
However, for those that don’t want to use chemicals, there are much natural treatment alternatives for this skin condition, such as vitamin C serum, bioflavonoids, apple cider vinegar, lutein, zinc, and lemon essential oil.