Melasma Treatment Specialist in Granville, OH

One of the main contributing factors to melasma is genetics, which women are a lot more likely to have than males. Considerations for the causes of melasma are also exposure to ultraviolet radiation, pregnancy, anti-seizure medications, and phototoxic drugs and there have been cases that show estrogen and progesterone hormones can also contribute to the chance of having melasma. There also have been indications that people with light-brown skin tones who live in or are from places that have high sunlight exposure have a chance of melasma.

When it comes to melasma there are a lot of factors that can play into the development of it, and being aware of any family members that have had melasma can help to determine your likelihood of having melasma or developing it at some point during your life.

If you have been diagnosed with melasma there are several different treatment options available depending on the severity of it, location, and if the pigmentation is lighter or darker than your regular skin tone.

Your dermatologist will go over the different options available to you and will assess what they think will be the best treatment for your specific case as everyone’s melasma is different and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment when it comes to this disorder.

There has been nothing to show that melasma indicates any kind of serious issues with your health, as it is a pigmentation issue and not related to any other health problems. Melasma is a common skin disorder that affects about 1% of the population and up to 50% of the population in some areas of the world, with hormones from pregnancy and birth control being one of the major triggers for women who have melasma. You can try to reduce the likelihood of melasma by using sunscreen when you are outdoors, avoiding being in direct sunlight during the peak hours of 10 AM to 4 PM and for women, using non-hormonal birth control can also help.

When you are using sunscreen, it is recommended to also use a tinted sunscreen as it can help protect the skin further, as well as using sunscreen that is made with iron oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide have shown to help when outdoors. When it comes to melasma, taking care of your skin to protect it from the sun and other triggers like UV light, can help lessen the appearance of spots on the skin.

One of the biggest things that studies have shown is there are psychological effects that people with melasma can have, as they can suffer from social anxiety or depression, this mainly happens in women due to the changes in their appearance.

When it comes to the treatment of melasma there are different treatments for those that have hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or hypopigmentation (lighter spots) as they may be the same disorder, they are caused by either too much pigmentation or not enough pigment in the skin.

If you have darker skin spots your dermatologist may prescribe medications such as hydroquinone, tretinoin, and corticosteroids that are mild in dosage, or supplements like vitamin C to help with the overproduction of melanin.

If you have lighter skin spots, you could see improvements using chemical peels, microneedling, and laser or light treatments for the skin. In extreme cases, there have been benefits shown through the application of tranexamic acid, but there are risks in this treatment, so it is best to have your dermatologist decide the best treatment for your specific case.

When it comes to the treatment of melasma, your dermatologist is going to be able to help you determine the best treatment plan for your case, they will also be able to let you know if the treatment plan is working or if there is another route they would recommend to help with your melasma. Our dermatologists at Midwest Dermatology are here to help you in the treatment and management of melasma. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We serve patients from Granville OH, Park Ridge OH, Welsh Hills OH, Newark OH, Alexandria OH, Pataskala OH and surrounding areas.