{"id":3119,"date":"2022-07-19T08:24:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T15:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.advancederm.net\/?p=3119"},"modified":"2022-07-13T08:31:36","modified_gmt":"2022-07-13T15:31:36","slug":"unmasking-melasma-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.advancederm.net\/unmasking-melasma-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Unmasking Melasma \u2013 What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jeanne Ellern, PA-C<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are moments throughout our lives when we all might experience changes in our skin that can be disconcerting. Most of us have had or may still have experiences with acne, age spots, scarring, and perhaps hyperpigmentation. Along the lines of hyperpigmentation, a large group of people suffers from a common acquired skin condition called melasma which causes brown or blue\/gray patches to appear on the skin. It is sometimes called the \u201cmask of pregnancy,\u201d but can appear at any time in our lives.<\/p>\n

Melasma Explained<\/strong><\/p>\n

Melasma is a skin condition that causes brown patches with irregular borders to appear on the face (forehead, chin, cheeks, and upper lip), but they can also appear on the chest or arms. It occurs more often in women than men, and people with darker skin tones tend to be affected more than others. The exact cause of melasma is still unknown, though it seems that certain triggers cause an overproduction of melanin (the pigment in our skin), creating these dark spots.<\/p>\n

This skin condition can sometimes be transient, such as in pregnant women. They will experience skin changes while pregnant, with the symptoms disappearing once they have a baby. Others deal with melasma for years or even the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n

What can trigger melasma? The list includes the following:<\/p>\n