What is Melasma? What Treatment Options Are Available?
by Dr Chen Tai Ho | May 9, 2015
Hi everyone, I hope you have all had a great week and are embracing the weekend ahead. For today’s topic, I want to talk about melasma – what it is and the treatment options available for it. Melasma most commonly occurs in pregnant women or those who are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, or patch or oral contraceptives. However, melasma can affect anyone.
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| Melasma can affect anyone, but pregnant women are more susceptible (pic from webmd.com) |
What Causes Melasma
Melasma is essentially a tan or dark discoloration in your skin, and is also known as a pregnancy mask when affecting pregnant women. It occurs when the melanocytes in your skin are stimulated, resulting in the production of melanin in large quantities. This melanin then groups itself together in patches on the skin, especially on the face. Although men can be affected by melasma, they only make up 10% of the affected individuals since women are far more susceptible to developing it.
Potential causes of melasma that have been identified include hormonal changes, overexposure to the sun and even some selected beauty products that may cause irritation to your skin. As mentioned earlier, pregnant women are especially prone to developing melasma due to the increase in hormones that trigger the melanocytes into action.
Treatments for Melasma
There are two methods of treatment available for melasma at Premier Clinic, both of which are safe and non-intrusive so there is no need to worry about needles or other types of surgical procedures.
q-Switch Nd: YAG Laser
The laser helps to destroy unwanted skin cells, and works by targeting areas affected by melasma. Using high energy light, the laser eliminates the top layer of skin which allows a fresh, new layer to grow over the affected area. The laser has the ability to penetrate deep into your skin without causing injury to the top layer, resulting in the stimulation of the skin to produce fresh collagen and essential
proteins. These are needed for the skin to repair itself.
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| Before and after q-Switch laser treatment. |
The treatment is suitable for all skin types and is relatively swift and painless, meaning it can be done over lunch for busy individuals. It also helps to lighten and improve your skin’s complexion, and you will notice your skin becoming much healthier and smoother after the procedure.
Obagi Nu-Derm Skin Care
This is a medically-based skin care programme that uses a series of products to treat the skin accordingly. It uses toner, cleanser, skin lightener, exfoliate and Retin-A, with Retin-A being particularly effective. The system has since been further modified and refined to maximise the benefits while stabilising and reducing some of the unwanted side effects.
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| Before and after using the Obagi Nu-Derm Skin Care programme |
Your skin requires 2-4 weeks of recovery, as it adjusts to build up tolerance to the strength of the products. You should expect minor skin peeling and irritation during this period, but it will subside as your skin adjusts accordingly.
If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, please call us at +6012-662 5552 or email us at contactus@premier-clinic.com today!
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