How is melasma different in skin of colour?

Melasma is made of flat areas of increased pigment, commonly on the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. In deeper skin tones, the colour may be medium brown, deep brown, grey-brown, or blue-grey, depending on where pigment sits in the skin. The edges can be easy to miss in some lighting and striking in others. Sunlight and visible light can intensify it. Scratching, acne, eczema, or harsh products may add post-inflammatory pigmentation, which can overlap with melasma and make diagnosis less straightforward.

Choose daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and add shade, a hat, or other physical protection. A tinted product containing iron oxides may help reduce the effect of visible light; ask a clinician whether it suits your skin and routine. Keep products gentle and introduce one change at a time. Strong peels, heat-based procedures, and aggressive light treatments can worsen pigmentation in some people, so a dermatologist should tailor the plan and test cautiously when appropriate. Read more about [Melasma](/conditions/melasma/).

Book a dermatology review when pigmentation is new, spreading, unevenly coloured, raised, scaly, bleeding, or persistently itchy. Seek prompt care for a painful or rapidly changing mark. Melasma is usually flat and patterned; a different appearance may represent another skin condition or an additional problem.

Ask how your skin tone affects the choice and strength of treatment, how to prevent post-inflammatory darkening, and how long to try a plan before changing it. Discuss whether any current acne or eczema needs control first.