Pigment determines a person's eye color, hair color, and skin color. A number of internal and external factors, such as the sun, genetics, hormonal changes, skin inflammation, and age can affect the production of melanin. Overproduction of pigment leads to hyperpigmentation, in which dark spots and uneven skin tone occur. Less pigment production—hypopigmentation—has the opposite effect with colorless skin spots developing in the affected area.
Melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation that occurs on the face, especially the cheeks, tip of the nose, forehead, and upper lip, and occasionally on other parts of the body such as the forearms and exposed areas. with sunlight
There are three main types of melasma: epidermal melasma, dermal melasma, and mixed melasma.
Epidermal melasma affects the top layer of skin, and hyperpigmentation is brown and can be outlined.
Dermal melasma affects the deeper dermis and is defined as blue-gray patches of skin.
Mixed melasma (a combination of epidermal and dermal melasma) is gray-brown pigmentation. Because these pigments are deep in the dermis, dermal and mixed types of melasma are very difficult to treat.
Melasma is very common in women; only 10% of men get it, and 90% of them are pregnant women.
For that reason, the disease is known as "pregnancy mask" (or chloasma). People of all ethnicities can get the disease, with people with darker skin being more susceptible. Unlike age spots, melasma can disappear after pregnancy or when the amount of the female hormone estrogen decreases.
What causes melasma?
Melasma is caused by excessive pigment production. While this condition occurs as the body's response to hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy, birth control pills, or hormone therapy (HRT), other factors such as UV exposure, family factors, age, and epilepsy medications also play a role in causing melasma.
Melanocytes (pigment-producing cells located in the basal layer of the epidermis) also increase epidermal pigmentation, causing melasma.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes within the body stimulate melanocytes to produce more melanin.
If the pigment spots change size, shape, color, become itchy, or bleed, see a doctor to determine the danger.
