Melasma is a common skin problem that occurs when sun exposure causes brown and grayish-brown patches to appear on the skin. Melasma often appears in the areas of the face that are more frequently exposed to the sun, such as cheeks, forehead, bridge of nose, chin and above the upper lip; it may also occur on other body parts such as shoulders, forearms and neck.
Melasma can happen to all skin types and ages, but is more prevalent among young women with darker or olive skin tones. It is also linked with the female hormones, estrogen and progresterone, which makes it more common in women who are pregnant, using oral contraceptives, or taking hormone replacement therapy. Because of this, Melasma is sometimes referred to as the “pregnancy mask.”
There is also a hereditary factor when it comes to Melasma, so people are more likely to be affected when it runs in the family.
Melasma usually appears uniform and symmetrical on both sides of the face. Other than an unfavourable cosmetic appearance, there are no other symptoms of Melasma or associated discomfort.
Maintaining adequate sun protection is the best way to safeguard our skin from the disorder. This means always wearing a quality sunscreen and reapplying it often. It is also wise to cover up with a wide-brimmed hat while outdoors, wearing sunscreen alone may not always be enough to give us the level of protection we need.
Treating existing Melasma and Hyperpigmentation
Vita is very excited to introduce the cutting edge specialised treatment for melasma and hyperpigmentation, which produces real results.
Dermamelan and Cosmelan are currently the leading topical de-pigmentation treatments, most typically used to treat hyper-pigmentation and certain types of pigmented scarring. It is used to treat the face and or the body. Cosmelan inhibits the action of Tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for the production of melanin.
“I love that this treatment is suitable for all skin types and that I have already seen amazing results on my clients with Melasma.” – Vita
Who is the best candidate for a treatment?
Cosmelan can be used on all skin types, in both men and women on any skin type and colour. It improves the appearance of pigmentation in certain types of scars, acne and freckles, inflammatory hyper-pigmentation and most successfully in pigmentation due to excessive sun exposure and hormonal fluctuations.
