Melasma is a recurring condition of the skin that causes discolored patches on the face. These patches usually appear on the cheeks, chin, forehead, and upper lip. They usually appear in blue-gray, tan, or brown colors.
The main causes of melasma include sun damage and hormonal changes. Thus, the most successful treatment options for it are the ones focused on eradicating or limiting these causes. Sometimes the condition in women can also be triggered by pregnancy.
In such instances, the melasma will subside on its own once the woman has given birth. There are plenty of prescription medications to treat it.
However, there are also some home remedies that you can do to help ease or eliminate melasma completely. These are the following:
Be patient and wait it out.
As mentioned earlier, some melasma cases are triggered by pregnancy. In such cases, the melasma will disappear on its own after the pregnancy. Though it should be noted that there is a high likelihood of it recurring during subsequent pregnancies.
For melasma cases that are not triggered by pregnancy, more home remedies or treatment options should be tried in order for it to be treated.
Use products made with holistic ingredients.
There are a number of holistic ingredients known to help in the treatment of melasma. These ingredients include Vitamin C, apple cider vinegar, lemon peel extract, lactic acid, mandelic acid, watercress, and bearberry.
These can alleviate compounds that produce pigments in your skin without fully disabling them and triggering any inflammation or irritation.
They also will not make your skin more sensitive to light.
Use paper mulberry extract.
Paper mulberry extract comes from the roots of the paper mulberry plant, a shrub that usually grows along riverbanks.
The extract has been proven to be effective in lightening freckles. It also contains Kazinol F, a substance that controls the enzyme which produces melanin.
Melanin is what causes pigmentations and discoloration of the skin. Kazinol F is usually used in numerous topical prescription products designed to treat melasma.
By taking paper mulberry extract supplements, which are widely available in many holistic stores, you help your body fight against excess skin discoloration.
There are also topic paper mulberry products that you can use. Just remember to follow the directions on the label and respect the recommended quantities.
Use tretinoin.
Tretinoin is a form of Vitamin A that boosts the speed of your skin in getting rid of dead skin cells.
Thus, it helps make patches of discolored skin fade quicker.
It should be noted though that using tretinoin alone is not enough to eliminate melasma if the underlying cause is not addressed.
Yes, the discolored skin dead cells will shed faster, but this is useless if the new skin cells are still going to become discolored.
Use topical products that contain Melaplex or kojic acid.
These two substances are effective in brightening and lightening the skin but are gentler than hydroquinone. They are also less likely to cause any irritation.
They slow down the rate at which pigmentation and discoloration are produced in your skin. Therefore, the new skin cells will not be as dark, which makes it harder for melasma to occur.
There are plenty of creams, ointments, and gels that contain Melaplex and kojic acid. You will find them at most drug stores, pharmacies, and holistic stores.
Use topical products that contain cysteamine.
Cysteamine is produced naturally by the body as a result of L-cysteine metabolism. It is an anti-oxidant. It is also proven to protect the skin against mutagens and ionizing radiation.
In addition, it slows down or prevents the synthesis of melanin, thereby preventing discoloration. It is a substance that is proven to be safe and effective in the treatment of melasma.
Use non-prescription hydroquinone topical products.
Hydroquinone is a substance that is highly effective in lightening your skin and making melasma patches fade away. The way it works is it impedes your skin’s natural chemical process that produces melanin.
And because dark skin discoloration and pigmentation is produced by melanin, the amount of pigmentation associated with melasma will be decreased as well.
Hydroquinone topical products can be in liquid, lotion, gel, ointment, or cream form. In addition, there are hydroquinone products that come with SPF content to protect against harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.
These are especially helpful and ideal because one of the causes of melasma is extensive sun damage. Non-prescription hydroquinone topical products normally contain only 2% or less concentration.
The prescription ones have a higher concentration and thus, can be harsher on your skin and have to be controlled.
De-stress.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one of the causes of melasma is hormonal changes or imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can get worse if you are stressed.
Thus, it is very important that you calm down and stay away from stress as much as possible. Leave your work troubles at the office.
Try to always focus on the things, people, or events that make you happy. Practice breathing techniques even if it is just for ten minutes every day.
This helps in clearing your mind and calming you down. Other helpful activities include yoga and meditation.
Always practice prayer. If you do not find these activities appealing or helpful, just find the time to do more of the activities you genuinely enjoy.
This may include taking a long, relaxing bath, reading a romantic novel, or spending long walks at night.
Always use products that contain sun protection.
We cannot emphasize this enough. Wearing sunscreen is of utmost importance.
You may not immediately see the harmful effects of sun damage when you are still young, but there will come a point when the sunspots and sum damage will manifest all at once.
By then, it might be too late and the damage can be quite difficult to reverse and treat. Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or more at least twenty minutes before sun exposure and renew every 2 hours.
The higher the SPF content, the better. If you could go for organic or natural sunscreen products, do so. By doing this, you can lower the chances of getting melasma and prevent current melasma from worsening.
If you are suffering from melasma and you don’t want to spend too much money on professional dermatological treatments, you may try the home remedies mentioned above.
If you have found this article to be useful you may want to check some articles on related topics linked below.
Everything you need to know about sunburn
Bid freckles goodbye with these natural remedies
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