Melasma and Choasma
Treatment
What we can do to treat Melasma
Treatments to hasten the fading of the discolored patches include:
Facial peel with alpha hydroxyacids or chemical peels with glycolic acid.
Topical depigmenting agents, such as hydroquinone (HQ) - a chemical that inhibits tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in the production of melanin
Tretinoin, an acid that increases skin cell (keratinocyte) turnover. This treatment cannot be used during pregnancy.
Azelaic acid along with Kojic acid in certain strengths is thought to decrease the activity of melanocytes.
Amalan Peel is highly effective and we get extremely good results with this peel, without the need for hydroquinone.
Laser treatment. If the Melasma is dermal (rather than epidermal) laser (or "IPL") can actually DARKEN and worsen the appearance of the spots.
Dermal Melasma is generally unresponsive to most treaments, and has only been found to lighten with products containing mandelic acid.
Cosmetic cover-ups can also be used to reduce the appearance of melasma.
Results following treatments are gradual and a strict avoidance of sunlight is required. The use of broad-spectrum sunscreens with physical blockers, such as titanium dioxide and zinc dioxide is preferred over those with only chemical blockers. This is because UV-A, UV-B and visible lights are all capable of stimulating pigment production.