Melasma is a skin condition that occurs when melanocytes are stimulated, producing large quantities of melanin that gathers in patches on the skin, usually on the face. It also affects women more than men, accounting for a mere 10% of individuals with melasma.
What Causes Melasma?
Common triggers are believed to be excessive sun exposure, a change in hormones and some beauty products that irritate the skin.
Pregnant women are also at risk of contracting melasma, which is also known as chloasma or a pregnancy mask. There is an increase of progesterone, oestrogen and melanocyte-stimulating hormones in the second and third trimesters, but it is thought that the presence of high progesterone levels, not oestrogen, causes melasma – a theory supported by studies.
How Can it be Treated?
Patches of melasma can appear as a patchy brown, tan colour, or blue-gray skin discoloration which can be easily treated by the Obagi skin care treatment line, reducing the colour gradually to give your skin a revitalised and fresh look. Penetrating the skin’s surface, known as the epidermis, the Obagi Nu-Derm System is suitable as it helps to correct the unsightliness that is caused by melasma by speeding up the production of newer skin cells to replace the old, damaged ones. You will experience a fresher and healthier complexion, with the melasma reducing after each skin cycle.
The system is a medically-based skin care programme that combines a series of products – cleanser, toner, skin lightener, exfoliate, and Retin-A. Dr. Obagi recognised the effectiveness of Retin-A early on and has since further refined the system to maximise the improvements it brings while stabilising some of the unwanted side effects it causes.