An essentially female benign dermatological pathology, melasma is characterized by the appearance of irregular brown spots on the face, caused by UV rays from daylight and the sun, among other things. The first treatment is therefore to protect yourself effectively from the sun.
What is a melasma?
“Melasma is a benign dermatological pathology. It is basically a skin hyperpigmentationthat is to say an overproduction of melanin, which affects mainly the face but can also extend to the neck and décolleté“, explains Doctor Gilles Korb, plastic surgeon. During pregnancy, melasma can affect the belly and the genital area and it does not disappear afterwards.
What are the symptoms of melasma?
“Melasma presents as geometrically shaped irregular spots, giving a “dirty skin” appearance and brown discoloration on the forehead, face, cheekbones, upper lips“, continues the specialist. It mainly concerns women between 30 and 50 years old and is very common on dark skin, especially in patients from North Africa. Melasma changes over the year. “In winter, he sees himself very little, on the other hand, he benefits from a boost in summer, reactivated by UV rays“, emphasizes the latter. The symptoms of melasma are therefore essentially aesthetic.
What causes melasma?
“Melasma is caused by a abnormal overproduction of pigments by melanocytes.“ These are the skin cells that produce melanin. For mysterious reasons, these cells begin to malfunction and generate more melanin. This excess will therefore cause melasma. There may also be a vascular component that will have to be dealt with. “Certain factors will favor its appearance, namelyr heredity, hormonal changes generated either by natural causes such as pregnancy or by medicinal causes, in particular the pill or hormonal implants. We can also look for the origin of melasma endocrine disorders, for example thyroid.“The first factor that triggers melasma, however, remains sun and UV. “Simple daylight is even recognized as a triggering factor, the melanocytes being stimulated by this light“, insists Doctor Korb.
“Ultraviolet Wood’s lamp analysis will make it possible to highlight the melasma and especially its extent to visualize it, to distinguish a superficial melasma from a deeper melasma. It must be understood that there are no miracles in the treatment of melasma.“The first instinct will be to slong-lasting protection from the sun. The sun is enemy number one.In the treatment of melasma, the patient must be ready to get involved because it takes 1 to 2 years knowing that there is no cure for melasma.” The goal is first to spend a summer without recurrences. “Of course, the idea is not to live in a cellar but to adopt the right gestures, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses.“ Then concerning the treatments, it is necessary to both eliminate the pigments accumulated on the surface, “that’s to say accelerate skin desquamation, using products like Kligman’s depigmenting trio, prescribed for three months and prepared by a pharmacist. However, the effect is not immediate.. ” But it is also necessary to act directly on the melanocyte to slow down the production of melanin. “What’s more further maintenance treatment is necessary.“We can also turn to depigmenting peels, but the budget is higher. In winter, it is possible to opt for a light vascular laser or pulsed light.
What treatment when you have black skin?
“Dark and black skins are more fragile, melasma can be treated with the Kligman trio.” Peelings can also be prescribed but in a weakly concentrated way. “As to to lasers, they are contraindicatedbecause the risk of side effects is high“, recognizes the specialist.
Thanks to Doctor Gilles Korb, plastic surgeon at the aesthetic center in Nantes.