We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. 2018;11(2):53-59. Melasma: insights and perspectives. Plensdorf S, Martinez J. Melasma usually becomes more noticeable in the summer and improves during the winter months.It is not an infection; therefore, it is not contagious, and it is not due to an allergy. It is not cancerous and will not develop into skin cancer. It can take several decades for this damage to manifest itself as melasma. Cestari TF, Dantas LP, Boza JC. Melasma usually becomes more noticeable in the summer and improves during … Between the ages of 20 to 50, a woman can develop brown, tan or … Ali, S, Bali S, P S. Hormonal evaluation in females having melasma. During puberty, the oil glands are more active and your child will probably sweat more. Puberty also changes the way you think and see the world. The outer layer is the epidermis, the middle is the dermis, and the deepest layer is the subcutis. Possible Involvement of Keratinocyte Growth Factor in the Persistence of Hyperpigmentation in both Human Facial Solar Lentigines and Melasma. While most of these causes do not generally result in children developing mela… Melasma can affect both men and women but it is more common among women when compared to men, and it occurs mainly during pregnancy. Melasma is sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy” because it frequently affects pregnant women. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Puberty begins when your body starts to make a lot of chemicals called sex hormones. It was also known as the ‘mask of pregnancy’. Br J Dermatol. There’s another patient who swears by it but what works for one may not work for another. It’s an organ – the largest organ – and it makes up about one-seventh of your body weight. Melasma can appear on the forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin and above upper lips and other body parts like forearms and neck. Puberty is considered "delayed" when there are still no signs of sexual growth or development by the time a boy reaches age 14. Medications may help. Basit H, Godse KV, Al Aboud AM. Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation that is common in women, especially during and after pregnancy. ClinicalTrials.gov. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences. 2014;4(2):165-186. doi:10.1007/s13555-014-0064-z, Grimes PE, Ijaz S, Nashawati R, Kwak D. New oral and topical approaches for the treatment of melasma. Before melasma, I used to get Flaxsel laser with incredible results. Melasma (also known as chloasma faciei,: 854 or the mask of pregnancy when present in pregnant women) is a tan or dark skin discoloration.Melasma is thought to be caused by sun exposure, genetic predisposition, hormone changes, and skin irritation. You’re also at risk if you take oral contraceptives and hormones. You may first notice darkening nipples during puberty. Pregnant women get melasma more often than anyone else. In fact, melasma can affect any part of your skin that is exposed to sunlight. Dermanetwork.org notes that these treatments can include chemical peels, laser resurfacing, bleaching creams and intense pulsed light therapy, a type of treatment that uses strong broadband light to decrease skin discoloration 1. Grant says that melasma during pregnancy is common, especially during the summer, when more exposure to daylight and heat can stimulate the condition. In: StatPearls. The brain undergoes extensive structural changes during adolescence, concurrent to puberty-related physical and hormonal changes. According to Joiedevie.com, nearly 80 percent of the sun damage your skin will sustain in your lifetime occurs within your first 18 years of life. Melasma usually fades after a few months. Melasma causes symmetrical splotches of dark brown, black or tan pigmented skin to develop anywhere that the skin receives a lot of exposure to the sun. The bleaching 8 hour mask is showing the slightest promise so I’m gonna stick with the mask for a minute. According to Joiedevie.com, nearly 80 percent of the sun damage your skin will sustain in your lifetime occurs within your first 18 years of life. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help. However, this number can range between 9-50% in high-risk populations. 2015;27(5):626-629. doi:10.5021/ad.2015.27.5.626. Melasma is commonly referred to as the “mask of pregnancy” because of its frequent appearance in pregnant women. Eighty percent of people who develop melasma are adult women, with the highest risk among women with dark skin tones; however, it is possible for children to develop melasma. The average age for girls to begin puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12. This flood of hormones causes the changes you notice during puberty. 2011;56(4):380-382. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.84722, Handel AC, Miot LDB, Miot HA. Melanocytes are the cells in the skin that deposit pigment. It is also known as chloasma. An Bras Dermatol. Melasma occurs in about 1% of the general population (Ogbechie). Other possible causes of melasma include: Melasma causes light brown, dark brown, and/or bluish patches or freckle-like spots on your skin. However, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that many doctors will conduct a small skin biopsy to test the skin's epithelial cells and confirm that the discoloration is due to melasma. However, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that many doctors will conduct a small skin biopsy to test the skin's epithelial cells and confirm that the discoloration is due to melasma. That’s why most people with melasma notice that their symptoms worsen during the summer months. These skin pigmentation changes, known as melasma (sometimes called chloasma), often start to fade as your hormone levels return to normal and your … A Wood’s lamp that emits black light may be used to determine the depth of the pigment. The prevalence of melasma and its association with quality of life in adult male Latino migrant workers. These hormones are thought to contribute to your melasma. Why do we have to go through these changes? Melasma is more common in people of colour and those who tan very quickly but can occur to anyone. Melasma is a common skin problem. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Jadotte YT, Schwartz RA. Melasma: Skin darkening during pregnancy – also known as the mask of pregnancy Women of reproductive ages are vulnerable to patchy brown skin discolorations often noticed during pregnancy. Dermatol Ther. 2013;14(5):359-376. doi:10.1007/s40257-013-0038-4. We have a wealth of expertise in treating brown spot (Melasma) and … If you’ve ever noticed brown or grey-brown patches on your skin, then you may have melasma. She has served as a book columnist since 2008 and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. 2017;7(3):305-318. doi:10.1007/s13555-017-0194-1. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2019. Vashi NA, Kundu RV. Kerns studied English literature and neurology at UC Davis. It protects your bones, muscles, organs and everything else from the cold, from germs, sunshine, moisture, toxic substances, injury and more. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. Between 1.5% and 33% of the population may get melasma and it happens more often during a woman’s reproductive years, and rarely happens during puberty. At this time no foods or drinks are known by experts to directly cause, magically cure or worsen melasma. However, there are skin cancers that may mimic melasma, so seeing your dermatologist is often recommended to confirm the correct diagnosis. Boys develop a deeper voice and facial hair will start to appear. 15% to 50% of pregnant women get it. Melasma is harmless. skin condition characterized by the development of the brownish patch on the skin of the face Melasma is a disorder that causes parts of the skin to become dark brown. Keeping the face and body clean can help, but if acne is a concern, talk to a doctor. Melasma is rarely seen before puberty and most commonly occurs in women during their reproductive years. Melasma is a typically chronic disorder. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. It is a brown pigment which appears in the area of the face, forehead, upper cheeks and upper lip, it can also appear on other parts of the body that get lots of sun. 2019;5(1):30-36. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2018.09.004, Handa S, De D, Khullar G, Radotra BD, Sachdeva N. The clinicoaetiological, hormonal and histopathological characteristics of melasma in men. If hormonal changes, such as those that occur during pregnancy or while taking birth control pills, have caused melasma, it will fade after delivery or once a person stops taking the pills. According to the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Dermatology, melasma has four main causes: excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight; a high circulating blood concentration of the hormones estrogen and progesterone; the inheritance of a predisposition for the disorder; and a skin-care product that irritates the skin and results in an excessive production of melanocytes, the skin's pigment-producing cells. While the exact cause of melasma in pregnant women is unknown, it’s thought to be triggered by the surge of hormones in the body that are present during pregnancy. 2009;79(2):109-116. Your healthcare provider may test your thyroid. Common pigmentation disorders. Indian J Dermatol. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should use a daily sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection that also features an SPF of more than 30, even when you are mainly within a building and not in direct sunlight. Some people have melasma for years or their entire lives. 2010;18(2):124-129. A Wood's lamp is a special ultraviolet light used in a dark room that is capable of illuminating portions of skin that have changed color, even when those pigmentation changes are invisible to the eye. Policy, Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Int J Womens Dermatol. It is applied to the affected areas at night for 2-4 months. The condition is more common in women with darker skin phototypes (including those of Hispanic and Asian descent). Melasma is a condition that causes blotchy patches of skin discoloration usually on the face. Accessed 7/23/20. 2015;28(6):648-660. doi:10.1111/pcmr.12404. As a parent, there are a number of preventative measures you can take to help decrease the chance of your child developing melasma as he gets older. Passeron T, Picardo M. Melasma, a photoaging disorder. Basit H, Godse KV, Al Aboud, AM. Melasma is common in pregnant women. These patches often develop slowly and can last for many years. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that, in many cases, the patches caused by melasma vanish on their own, especially if they were originally caused by the hormonal fluctuations due to birth control pills or pregnancy. There are two main causes of melasma: radiation, whether ultraviolet, visible light, or infrared (heat) light; and hormones. condition in which areas of the skin become darker than the surrounding skin It … Dermatol Ther. Am J Clin Dermatol. However, to keep your skin healthy in general, try a skin-healthy diet of foods rich in Vitamin D: Those with melasma are more likely to have a thyroid disease. They can appear as flat patches or freckle-like spots. 2018;31(4):461-465. doi:10.1111/pcmr.12684, Rivas S, Pandya AG. Study of Influence of Blue Light Emitted by Computer/Television Screens on Melasma. It’s not painful, itchy, or uncomfortable in any way. My melasma came on during menopause. Copyright © 2021 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Finding the best sunscreen for melasma and wearing clothes and hats that block the UV rays of the sun is important if you plan on being outside a lot during the summer time. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, Achar A, Rathi SK. 2003 Oct;1(1): e27. Puberty is when a child's body begins to develop and change as they become an adult. Causes of Melasma . Am Fam Physician. Your skin is your barricade. You may also experience more intense emotions during puberty. Because of the strong link between the female hormones estrogen and progesterone and melasma, women who are experiencing an upsurge in these hormones due to hormone-replacement therapy in menopause, pregnancy or from birth control pills have a greater tendency to develop melasma. This article looks at what causes Melasma and how you can reduce the appearance of dark patches on your skin. 2018;43(1):36-41. doi:10.1111/ced.13234, Lee A-Y. Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. Pichardo R, Vallejos Q, Feldman SR, et al. It most often manifests itself as darkened patches of skin around your lips and on your cheeks and forehead (8). Acquired hyperpigmentations. Accessed 7/23/20. Another, less common name for melasma, is chloasma. The developments that a boy undergoes during adolescence are: In boys, the scrotum and the testicles start to grow when they reach puberty. Cure melasma with these treatments. Although melasma is purely a superficial skin condition--it is not related in any way to cancer or any other serious health problem--it can be difficult for affected individuals to deal with the uneven and patchy coloring of their skin. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. StatPearls: Melasma. Between 1.5% and 33% of the population may get melasma and it happens more often during a woman’s reproductive years, and rarely happens during puberty. It is more effective in combination with other agents. Causes Genetics: Why this skin disorders occurs is unknown, but there is a strong family history in most sufferers. According to the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Dermatology, melasma has four main causes: excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight; a high circulating blood concentration of the hormones estrogen and progesterone; the inheritance of a predisposition for the disorder; and a skin-care product that irritates the skin and results in an excessive production of melanocytes, the skin's pigment-producing cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should use a daily sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection that also features an SPF of more than 30, even when you are mainly within a building and not in direct sunlight. In boys, the main sex hormone is testosterone. You may also have patches on your neck, upper lip, or the back of your forearms. When melasma occurs during pregnancy, it is also called chloasma, or "the mask of pregnancy." It causes brown to gray-brown patches on the forehead, upper cheeks, nose, upper lip, and sometimes neck and forearms. There are three types of melasma and they have to do with the depth of the pigment. Melasma rarely occurs before puberty, with onset most often in the reproductive years. Facial hyperpigmentation: causes and treatment. "Hormones stimulate the production of melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing pigment, and natural light stimulates them to produce excessive pigment," she explains. The forehead, cheeks, and side of the nose are the most common areas affected. The condition causes dark, discolored patches on your skin. Girls develop breasts and start their periods. Your skin is made up of three layers. Melasma is a quite a common skin problem. It sometimes affects your arms, neck and back. WHO GETS MELASMA? Michelle Kerns writes for a variety of print and online publications and specializes in literature and science topics. Only 10% of people who get melasma Additionally, certain cosmetics and medications, such as many anti-seizure medications, can make the skin more sensitive to the effects of ultraviolet light. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020. It is common during pregnancy and while the exact cause is unknown, some possible triggers are an increase in active skin cells, increased hormones, medications, skin care products, sun exposure, and certain thyroid conditions. While most of these causes do not generally result in children developing melasma, their effects can, over time, accumulate to make children more susceptible later in life. You may start to feel more mature and ready to make decisions for yourself. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Commonly affected areas include your face, including the cheeks, upper lip and forehead, as well as the forearms. 2014;89(5):771-782. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20143063. Barsh G. What Controls Variation in Skin Color? This form of facial pigmentation was previously called chloasma, but as this derives from the Greek meaning ‘to become green’, the term melasma (brown skin) is preferred. Melasma appears most commonly on your cheeks, nose, chin, above the upper lip and the forehead. Loosely translated, the word means “black spot.” If you have melasma you’re probably experiencing light brown, dark brown and/or blue-gray patches on your skin. Between 50 to 70 percent of women experience melasma during pregnancy. Women are more likely to get melasma than men: about 10% of those who get melasma are men, 90% women. Pregnant women experience increased estrogen, progesterone, and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) levels during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Sometimes the patches can become red or inflamed. When we are growing up, don't we go through various mental, emotional and psychological changes? Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/27/2020. 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