What is Melasma in Chiangmai
What is Melasma in Chiangmai
Melasma is a common pigmentation disorder that causes brown or gray patches to appear on the skin, primarily on the face.
The most common areas for melasma to appear on the face include:
Melasma may also appear on other areas of the body, especially those exposed to a lot of sunlight. These areas may include:
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, only 10 percent of all cases of melasma occur in men. Women with darker complexions and who are pregnant are at greater risk of developing melasma.
If topical medications do not work, a dermatologist may recommend procedures such as:
Some of these treatment options have side effects or may cause additional skin problems. It is best to speak with a doctor or dermatologist about all the possible risks.
If a person has had melasma before, they can try to avoid triggers by:
Melasma afflicts primarily mid-color skin, whose genetic code makes their skin hypersensitive and hyperactive to almost any irritation. Thus, especially in the case of an un-stable melasma, even a treatment designed to remove excess melanin might actually stimulate the already hypersensitive and overactive melanocytes inducing them to make even more melanin, making the melasma worse than before.
This includes:
Virtually every day in our office, new patients arrive from all over the country and even the world who show us pictures of how their melasma was made worse by previous treatments they received by well-meaning doctors, and at fancy med-spas.
