Barsh G. What Controls Variation in Skin Color? All rights reserved. Then apply your foundation to the rest of your face, avoiding the patches. It protects your bones, muscles, organs and everything else from the cold, from germs, sunshine, moisture, toxic substances, injury and more. Fortunately, melasma typically fades after about three months. The second path to take is topical medications. How to Identify & Treat a Melasma Mustache, What to Know Before Getting Melasma Laser Treatment, Understanding Pityriasis Rosea vs. Guttate Psoriasis, Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth: Everything to Know, Skin Discoloration: Causes and Treatments, Melasma: a clinical and epidemiological review, A review of laser and light therapy in melasma. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Your skin is your barricade. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Are you interested in prescriptions that may improve your melasma? Melasma can present with blotches or frecklesusually on the facethat are darker than the rest of your skin tone. Melanin in the dermis within melanophages. Her go-to ingredients include vitamin C, kojic acid, and licorice root extract, as well as hydroquinone and glycolic acid. Cat is a linguistic alchemist and expert wordsmith who has written and edited for some of the world's biggest brands. Melasma is a common skin disorder. Your soap? If your hyperpigmentation is accompanied by consistent itching, irritation or discomfort, its important to note that these are not symptoms of melasma. If you didnt see it in pictures or a mirror, you wouldnt even know you had itit doesnt itch, hurt, or cause any other sensation. ClinicalTrials.gov. Dr. Arlo Miller answered Dermatology 17 years experience Avoid: I would not recommend it. Experts think that increases in the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy may trigger melasma. 3) Removing the melanin already present in the surface of the skin. However, she particularly enjoys the medical, aesthetic, pharma, mental health, and beauty realms. Melasma is typically a chronic disorder. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help. In turn, the addition of vitamin C serum to skincare routines helps fight free radical damage, brightens the skin, and improves skin tone. Melasma can return. Nearly 50 to 70% of pregnant women show signs of a " mask of pregnancy". Spots of melasma can sometimes be mistaken for freckles but they are not the same skin condition. Melasma is a super common skin condition characterized by hyperpigmentation on certain areas of the face, explains Dan Belkin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group in NYC. Its always best to speak with your healthcare provider. How much youre out in the sun or even the time of year when youre pregnant may also affect when you first notice it. By Cat Matta Fairer-skinned people are less likely to be affected by melasma than those with darker brown skin or those who tan well. 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 |, Important Updates + Notice of Vendor Data Event, (https://www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx?id=169&itemtype=document), (https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/skin-disorders/pigment-disorders/melasma#:~:text=Melasma%20is%20dark%20brown%20patches,an%20examination%20of%20the%20skin. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. (2020). The condition occurs in up to 70 percent of pregnant. This means that its long-lasting (three months or more). Melasma is not dangerous or cancerous, but it may affect how you feel about your appearance. Yes, it's common to develop blotchy spots of darker skin when you're pregnant, a condition called melasma or chloasma. We'll tell you what to avoid and some good, Skin tags are common during pregnancy and can be painful. Look for noncomedogenic or hypoallergenic foundations, concealers, powders, and other products. Yes, its possible that your melasma will go away on its own within a few months. There's no proven link between. UV light exposure only makes hyperpigmentation worse by further darkening skin. If you are exposed to the sun, be sure to wear sunscreen with iron oxides and a SPF of 30-50 applied every two hours, as well as a wide-brimmed hat. Is it normal to have melasma during pregnancy? 2003 Oct;1(1): e27. There are a few tricks you can try to minimize melasma, including the following: Exposure to the sun will make your pregnancy mask more pronounced. Chloasma may also be worsened by hormonal imbalances that may have been present even before pregnancy. Certain types of skin discoloration can be a symptom of skin cancer or other medical problems. Melasma does not cause any itching or pain and has no other physical symptoms. Take preventative steps like avoiding sunlight to keep your melasma from getting worse or, if it does fade away, to keep it from coming back. Your epidermis contains cells called melanocytes that store and produce a dark color (pigment) known as melanin. He goes on to explain that the shape of the discolorations matters as well, since melasma coalesces in patches, as opposed to being distinct spotswhich would likely be other kinds of hyperpigmentation, such as sunspots. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Can Melasma Be Prevented During Pregnancy? Expect it to get worse and/or reoccur if you dont take steps such as avoiding the sun and makeups and soaps that irritate your skin. A biopsy is quick, safe procedure routinely performed during a normal visit to your healthcare providers office. The primary symptom of chloasma is darkening of the skin on the face. In addition to topical treatments and oral medication, Dr. Belkin recommends going that route, with a couple of caveats. Utilization of Laser Therapy During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of the Maternal and Fetal Effects Reported From 1960 to 2017. Although most skin-lightening ingredients are off-limits during pregnancy, talk to your doctor about whether you can apply topical azelaic acid to your skin for melasma. A topical treatment isnt your only option. The same goes for makeup you may use to conceal the dark areas. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. It usually develops in one or more of these areas: 6 Cheeks (both sides) Chin Forehead Bridge of nose Above the upper lip Jawline Melasma can also develop on your arms or neck, though it's less common. One of the only topical lightening ingredients thats considered safe to use during pregnancy, azelaic acid hasnt been linked to birth defects in animal studies. It doesnt itch or hurt, and it doesnt become malignant. It usually develops in one or more of these areas: Cheeks . Pregnancy is not the only cause of melasma. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Some of the topical options include hydroquinone, corticosteroids, and tretinoin. Limit sunbathing and try relaxing under a tree or umbrella instead. You can also try other camouflaging makeup and skincare products, like concealers, full-coverage foundation, and skin-brightening products. Melasma appears most often during the second or third trimester, as hormonal changes increase. This doesnt mean you have to stay indoors when the sun is out, though. Skin hyperpigmentation during pregnancy is very common. This common condition occurs in 50-70% of pregnant women. Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. . The mask of pregnancy technically called melasma appears when a steep rise in estrogen and progesterone levels stimulates excess melanin production, also known as hyperpigmentation. We'll tell you the best pregnancy-safe sunscreens so you and your, When you're expecting, pregnancy-safe skin care can help ensure the health of you and your baby. Consuming turmeric in pregnancy is a debated subject. However, it is not likely to go away while youre pregnant or taking hormone contraceptives. Lasers, which can be irritating especially during pregnancy, are no-nos too. Other agents that are being studied to improve melasma include: Dermatitis is a side effect of hydroquinone and tretinoin. When did see the discoloration in your skin? When this increases the amount of melanin produced also increases creating patches of darkened skin. You can live melasma-free with the right combination of treatments. This discoloration is usually symmetrical and is most common on the cheeks and nose, but its also found on the forehead and upper lip. How many hours of sunlight do you recommend I receive? Treatments for melasma include topical creams, chemical peels, as well as gentle skin resurfacing procedures. Melasma can be slow to respond to treatment. Your. For some women, contraceptives containing estrogen (such as the Pill, the patch, and the vaginal ring) can also contribute to melasma. Your healthcare provider might test your vitamin D levels to make sure that youre getting enough of it from high vitamin D foods such as meat, cereals, oily fish and eggs. 2. It often presents as a darkening in skin color around the mid or upper forehead, lateral cheeks, and upper lip. American Academy of Dermatology. And ask your doctor about any potential vitamin deficiencies. the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information. Most importantly, try and remind yourself that you likely notice and dwell on your pregnancy melasma more than anyone else, and that youre far from alone in experiencing it. What to Expect supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownership. A Woods lamp that emits black light may be used to determine the depth of the pigment. Stretch marks are easier to prevent than erase. Skin care products that irritate your skin. If the spots don't fade within a few months after having the baby, there are treatments to help fade them. Warm compresses (running warm water over your breasts in the shower or applying a warm washcloth) and massages will probably clear the duct in a few days. Around 33% to 50% of people with the condition have a family member with iteven a majority of identical twins share melasma. Treatment of Melasma During Pregnancy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Melasma usually fades after a few months. Pregnancy melasma, and melasma in general, fall into three categories based on how deep into the skin the dark spots are: epidermal, dermal, and mixed. Always be on the lookout for any allergic reactions. 6.1 Neutrogena vitamin C complex serum. However, she particularly enjoys the medical, aesthetic, pharma, mental health, and beauty realms. ), Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information. Its dark brown in color, has well-defined borders, glows under blacklight, and can respond well to treatment. Yes, this also applies to tanning beds or any other environment where you would be exposed to UVA and UVB rays. Depending on the person, melasma may go away on its own, it may be permanent, or it may respond to treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by clinical examination and questionnaire on 400 pregnant women. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Its often called the mask of pregnancy. Melasma happens because of overproduction of the cells that make the color of your skin. Hair changes with pregnancy. Report all side effects to your healthcare provider. However, it can make people self-conscious about their appearance. The best course of treatment may actually be prevention, with the help of a few lifestyle changes. our editorial and medical review policies, dark line down the center of your abdomen (the linea nigra), Skin Darkening and Discoloration During Pregnancy. If you are currently expecting, or thinking about becoming pregnant, this post will cover everything you need to know about pregnancy-induced melasma, including ways to prevent occurrence and treatment options. If your melasma doesn't go away after you have your baby, you can discuss melasma treatment with your provider. Don't expect instant results it may take many months to see improvement. It's typically diagnosed after an individual develops multiple pregnancies at once. Melasma (chloasma or mask of pregnancy) may be the most cosmetically troublesome skin condition associated with pregnancy ( Figure 2). 15% to 50% of pregnant women get it. The outer layer is the epidermis, the middle is the dermis, and the deepest layer is the subcutis. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only.