In This Article

Do you havemelasmaor hyperpigmentation?

Well, you might have both.

Melasma and hyperpigmentation are similar to the square and rectangle relationship.

In this article, Ill help you distinguish melasma from other forms of hyperpigmentation.

What Is Hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation means excess pigment to be a little more specific, it means pigmentation above your normal background color.

Types of Hyperpigmentation

What Is Melasma?

Melasma typically presents with symmetric tan to brown flat patches on the forehead, cheeks, and/or upper lip.

Melasma does not itch or burn and it does not have any overlying scaling, pimples, or pustules.

However, it can occur in women without these triggers and in even in men.

It is more common in Asian, Hispanic, and African-American skin tones but occurs in all skin tones.

In addition, pollution and visible light can worsen melasma.

Itching of the skin suggests post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from an eczema-like rash.

The presence of pimples and/or pustules suggests post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne.

Sun-induced hyperpigmentation slowly progresses each year with additional sun exposure.

However, melasma is typically worse each summer and improves each winter.

Of course, its possible to have melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or melasma and sun-induced hyperpigmentation.

Its also entirely possible to have all three of these.

Treating Sun-Induced Hyperpigmentation

1.

Prevention

Prevention of sun induced hyperpigmentation is the simplest of the three types of hyperpigmentation.

Diligent sun protection will, of course, prevent sun induced damage that leads to hyperpigmentation.

Sun spots can be treated with a 755-nm or 1064-nm laser.

Treating Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

1.

This might include topical, oral, or injectable medications to prevent the development of the preceding skin eruption.

These topicals may decrease the severity of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and the number of days to resolution.

Chemical peels that are too aggressive may worsen post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Prevention and Treatment of Melasma

1.

For that reason, I recommend using a tinted physical sunscreen.

For additional visible light protection, dermablend flawless creator foundation contains iron oxides meant for visible light protection.

Chemical peels that are too aggressive may worsen melasma.

Three main forms of hyperpigmentation are primary pigmentary disorders, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and sun-induced hyperpigmentation.

Updated July 27, 2020.

Plensdorf S, Livieratos M, Dada N.Pigmentation disorders: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician.

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