Dark patches on the face may be melasma

You may have heard melasma referred to as “the mask of pregnancy,” because it is sometimes triggered by an increase in hormones in pregnant women. But while the condition may be common among pregnant women, you don’t have to be pregnant to experience melasma. “It’s not only associated with pregnancy, but can affect women at all stages of life,” says Dr. Shadi Kourosh, director of the Pigmentary Disorder and Multi-Ethnic Skin Clinic at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. And it may last for many years. “Women who develop melasma in their teens or 20s or 30s may see it stay around for decades,” says Dr. Barbara Gilchrest, senior lecturer on dermatology at Harvard Medical School. Melasma can be hard to treat While melasma isn’t painful and doesn’t present any health risks, it can cause significant emotional distress. The condition can be difficult to treat, and there’s a lot of misinformation out there about what causes it, says Dr. Kourosh. You’re more likely to get melasma if you have a darker skin type, probably because your skin naturally has more active pigment-producing cells, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Melasma appears when these cells become hyperactive and produce too much pigment in certain areas of the skin. Melasma is more common in women, but it can also affect men. It may have a genetic component, as it often runs in families. Causes of melasma Melasma has a lot of diff...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Pregnancy Skin and Hair Care Source Type: blogs