What melasma means

Patches commonly develop across the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose, or jawline. Melasma itself is usually flat and does not create scaling, an open sore, or a raised lump. Sunlight and visible light can deepen pigmentation, while hormonal changes may contribute during pregnancy or with some hormonal medicines. Heat and irritating skin care may aggravate colour in some people. Other pigment disorders can resemble melasma, so appearance alone may not settle the diagnosis.

Begin with consistent light protection: seek shade, wear a broad-brimmed hat, and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen suitable for your skin every day, following the label for reapplication. A tinted sunscreen may add protection from visible light. Keep cleansing and moisturising gentle, since stinging and inflammation can leave more pigment. A dermatologist may recommend prescription creams or carefully selected procedures. Peels, microneedling, and laser treatments can sometimes worsen pigmentation when poorly matched to skin tone or used too aggressively.

Arrange a dermatology review when pigmentation is new, changing, one-sided, uncertain, or persistent despite careful skin care. Seek earlier assessment for a patch that becomes raised, scaly, painful, itchy, ulcerated, crusted, or prone to bleeding, because those features are not the usual presentation of melasma. Sudden pigment change after starting a medicine also deserves discussion with the prescriber; do not stop prescribed treatment without guidance.

Ask what features support the diagnosis, whether your medicines or hormones could be contributing, and which products suit your skin tone and sensitivity. Discuss how to recognise irritation, when to judge improvement, and whether maintenance care will be needed. Before a procedure, ask about the chance of darker or lighter marks and the plan if pigment rebounds.