Hydroquinone: This medicine is a common first treatment for melasma. Tretinoin and corticosteroids: To enhance skin lightening, your dermatologist may prescribe a second medicine. Other topical (applied to the skin) medicines: Your dermatologist may prescribe azelaic acid or kojic acid to help lighten melasma.

Most people with melasma do not need treatment. Melasma may fade away slowly if you stop taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. If melasma appeared while you were pregnant, it may go away a few months after you have the baby. If melasma doesn’t fade or it bothers you, it can be treated.

Doctors often use hydroquinone as the first line of treatment for melasma. Hydroquinone is available as a lotion, cream, or gel. A person can apply the hydroquinone product directly to the patches of skin that are discolored. Hydroquinone is available over the counter, but a doctor can also prescribe stronger creams.

If you have wondered how to remove melasma permanently, then we unfortunately have bad news for you. Since this condition is chronic and does not currently have a cure, that means you may experience melasma flare-ups throughout your life.

Apple cider vinegar is also considered by some to be a treatment for melasma. The idea behind apple cider vinegar for dark patches on the skin is to use it as a bleaching agent. Most sites recommend diluting apple cider vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio and applying it to the hyperpigmented areas on your skin.

Causes and risk factors of melasma This means birth control pills, pregnancy, and hormone therapy can all trigger melasma. Stress and thyroid disease are also thought to be causes of melasma. Additionally, sun exposure can cause melasma because ultraviolet rays affect the cells that control pigment (melanocytes).

Conclusions: Full-face iontophoresis of vitamin C appears to be an effective short-term treatment for melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. A protocol of strict sun avoidance in combination with a mandelic/malic acid skin care regimen appears to be useful in maintaining the improvement.

There are two main causes of melasma: radiation, whether ultraviolet, visible light, or infrared (heat) light; and hormones. Ultraviolet and infrared radiation from the sun are key in making melasma worse.

Sun exposure: Exposure to the sun’s rays can make melasma worse and this includes being in the heat and visible light. It doesn’t have to be a very hot day out, but if the sun is beaming on your skin, the melasma can immediately get worse.

Since you want to get rid of melasma by lowering the carbs in your diet and boosting consumption of antioxidants, the easiest way around this is eating antioxidant-rich foods that are also low glycemic. That means eating more green vegetables, colourful vegetables, spices, herbs, berries, and some nuts and beans.

What Are The Best Skin Lightening Creams For Melasma?

• Skin lightening cream by Eva Naturals.
• Dark spot corrector cream for the face by PurePeaks.
• SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 pigment correcting serum.
• Pigmentclar by La Roche-Posay.
• Glytone dark spot corrector.

Hydroquinone is an FDA-approved skin-lightening agent that works by inhibiting the skin’s pigment-producing cells. Six of our experts named it as an extremely effective way to treat melasma flare-ups, especially via products that combine hydroquinone with other active ingredients like exfoliating acids.

A 2017 study on pregnant women with melasma found using a topical, liposome-encapsulated aloe vera preparation significantly improved their melasma.

If you’re not okay with chemicals, then you can always go for natural treatment for melasma. Below are few common ways to do so. Turmeric Turmeric contains curcumin, a strong antioxidant that results in lighter skin. Using a 1:2 ratio, mix milk with turmeric powder and apply the mixture on the affected areas.

Apply castor oil directly on the melasma patches and leave it on overnight. Wash it off in the morning with cold water. You can do this every night till it lightens the mark. Also you can try a combination of castor oil , honey and lemon juice , but use this mask once or twice a week.

In this category of foods, the best options are citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, foods with beta-carotene (orange color) like sweet potatoes, pumpkin and carrots, and seafood rich in copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc.

The best way to prevent melasma from coming back or getting worse is to avoid the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays act on certain cells in your skin to actually increase pigment production, which in turn makes your melasma worse.

You can try turmeric to overcome the dark spots as it can reduce the skin’s melanin and can help combat melasma. Mix five tablespoons of turmeric powder with 10 tablespoons of milk to make a thick paste. It is better to use whole milk for this process. Apply this evenly on the affected area.

SkinCeuticals Clarifying Exfoliating Cleanser combines glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid, making it a powerful face wash for melasma that purifies and brightens the skin, and is suitable for all skin types.

Papain, present in papayas, causes them to be the best home remedy for melasma. Mash a few pieces of papaya and mix it with honey. Apply the paste on affected areas and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash this pack off after 20 minutes.

Some proponents claim that potatoes can help lighten dark spots related to skin freckles, sunspots, and melasma due to a skin-bleaching enzyme called catecholase. In these so-called remedies, raw pieces of potato are blended with other acidic ingredients like yogurt and lemon juice to create a lightening face mask.