Medication
Triple combination cream (hydroquinone, tretinoin, and corticosteroid) remains the most effective treatment for melasma, as well as hydroquinone alone. Chemical peels and laser- and light-based devices have mixed results. Oral tranexamic acid is a promising new treatment for moderate and severe recurrent melasma.
Therapy
Oct 08, 2021 · Best sunscreen for pregnant women to prevent melasma. Belli Pure Radiance Mineral Sunscreen. $24. If you’re pregnant, Greenfield recommends this 100 ... Best overall product to treat melasma. Best serums to treat melasma.
Self-care
Aug 26, 2020 · Brightening serums and creams for melasma They're going to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to fading your melasma. Look for a melasma serum or melasma cream (the texture is totally a...
Nutrition
10 rows · ME Beauty – Skin Whitening Scar Cream With Vitamin C and Kojic Acid, Anti Aging Face Cream, Dark ...
What natural treatments can cure my melasma?
What is the best quick fix for melasma?
Is there an effective lasting treatment or remedy for melasma?
Are there any natural remedies to combat melasma?
What is the best treatment for melasma?
Hydroquinone: This medicine is a common first treatment for melasma. It is applied to the skin and works by lightening the skin. You will find hydroquinone in medicine that comes as a cream, lotion, gel, or liquid. You can get some of these without a prescription.
What is the procedure for melasma?
Procedures for melasma include a chemical peel, microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, laser treatment, or a light-based procedure. Only a dermatologist should perform these procedures. New skin problems can occur when the person who gives the treatment does not tailor it to the patient’s skin type.
How to tell if you have melasma?
If you notice any of the following after getting treatment for melasma, be sure to call your dermatologist: 1 Skin irritation 2 Darkening of the skin 3 Other problems
How to prevent melasma from returning?
Maintenance therapy can prevent melasma from returning. You can help prevent your melasma from returning by wearing sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat every day.
What is triple cream?
This medicine may be tretinoin or a corticosteroid. Sometimes a medicine contains three medicines (hydroquinone, tretinoin, and a corticosteroid) in one cream. This is often called a triple cream. Other topical (applied to the skin) medicines: Your dermatologist may prescribe azelaic acid or kojic acid to help lighten melasma.
Can melasma fade?
Melasma can fade on its own. This usually happens when a trigger, such as a pregnancy or birth control pills, causes the melasma . When a woman delivers her baby or stops taking the birth control pills, melasma can fade. However, some people have melasma for years, or even a lifetime.
How does hydroquinone help with melasma?
Six of our experts named it as an extremely effective way to treat melasma flare-ups, especially via products that combine hydroquinone with other active ingredients like exfoliating acids.
What is the best exfoliant for dark spots?
Dr. Lian A Mack, a board-certified dermatologist, recommends glycolic acid, a chemical exfoliant, for fighting discoloration because it (like most exfoliants) speeds up cellular turnover and helps to reduce dark patches.
Why do you need retinoids?
Because retinoids (topical agents derived from vitamin A) encourage cell turnover and inhibit tyrosinase — the enzyme our skin needs to produce melan in — they can lead to “brighter, more even-toned skin,” according to Bunting. Since they make your skin more sun-sensitive, the experts say you should use retinoids only as a part of your nightly routine. Many are available only by prescription, but Bae cites Differin, which contains the retinoid adapalene, as an affordable over-the-counter option — except for pregnant women, who should not use any retinoids, according to the dermatologists we talked to.
Is it safe to use mineral sunscreen while pregnant?
If you’re pregnant, Greenfield recommends this 100 percent mineral sunscreen — which is also fragrance, paraben, and oil free — to help prevent melasma breakouts. “It’s formulated to be pregnancy safe, which can help prevent flares during pregnancy,” she says.
What is supergoop sunscreen?
Audrey Kunin recommends this sunscreen from Supergoop! which, like the EltaMD, is a physical blocker that contains zinc oxide.
Can you use a retinoid with differin?
If you’re pregnant or otherwise unable to use a retinoid like that in Differin, incorporating an azelaic-acid serum can be a good stand-in. Azelaic acid is a brightening antioxidant that puts a stop to pigment production in the skin, according to Bunting, who recommended this serum by name. “For pregnancy, a simple azelaic-acid serum is best,” he advises. Chang is also a fan, noting that some small studies have shown it to be as effective as hydroquinone.
What is the best serum for skin?
Sam Bunting, the founder of Dr Sam’s Skincare, also recommends using vitamin-C serum and suggests layering it under sunscreen in the morning so it can help protect skin from free-radical damage as it works to brighten.
What is the best treatment for melasma?
Retinol. Retinoids are a must for melasma. They speed up your cell's turnover rate, meaning they help push those damaged, hyper-pigmented skin cells to the surface (and then slough them off) to make room for fresh, new, and undamaged skin cells.
Why is melasma hard to treat?
The overactivity can happen for any number of reasons (which is one of the reasons melasma is so hard to treat), but the two biggest causes are sun exposure and hormones, hence why you sometimes hear melasma referred to as a "sunstache" (sun!) or "pregnancy mask" (hormones!).
Can a woman get melasma?
It primarily affects women (fact: 90 percent of people with melasma are female, says Dr. Okereke) in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—so really, any adult woman can get it. That said, people with darker skin tones have more active melanin-producing cells in their body (melanin, FYI, is the thing that gives color to your skin, eyes, hair, etc.), ...
Can you use sunscreen without SPF?
Sunscreen. You can use all the brightening products in the world, but without SPF? It's pointless, since UV exposure is basically a one-way ticket to melasma town. Choose a sunscreen that's got SPF 30 (at the very least) and is made with mineral or physical blockers, like zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
Can melasma be cured?
Melasma can't really be "cured.". It can fade on its own or in some cases it can linger for years, says Dr. Okereke. "If you're lucky enough to have your melasma clear up, it's still important to continue with maintenance therapy to prevent it from coming back .".
What are the causes of a swollen ear?
Other triggers? Certain medications (so talk to your doctor), inflammation (from pollution, products, irritation, etc.), excessive heat (from things like hot yoga or hanging in the steam room), and an overly harsh or an aggressive skincare routine.
Who is the deputy beauty director of Cosmopolitan?
Lauren Balsamo Deputy Beauty Director Lauren Balsamo is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan covering all things skin, hair, makeup, and nails for both the magazine and website. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.
