What should you know about melasma topical treatment?

Topical medicines act in the skin where pigment is being produced or transferred. Depending on your diagnosis, a clinician may choose a pigment-modulating ingredient, an anti-inflammatory ingredient, or a combination. The right product depends on pregnancy status, breastfeeding, skin sensitivity, previous treatment, and the pattern of pigmentation. Improvement is usually assessed over time rather than after a single application.

Apply only the amount and frequency advised. More product does not make treatment work faster and can cause redness, peeling, burning, or darker marks after irritation. Melasma is a common cause of facial [Dark Patches On Skin](/symptoms/dark-patches-on-skin/) and may contribute to [Uneven Skin Tone](/symptoms/uneven-skin-tone/).

Follow the prescribed schedule, use a gentle cleanser and moisturiser, and protect exposed skin from ultraviolet and visible light. Keep the product away from eyes, lips, broken skin, and areas your clinician has excluded. Patch testing or a gradual start may be suggested for sensitive skin. Do not combine several brightening, exfoliating, or retinoid products without advice. If creams are not enough, your clinician may discuss [Chemical Peel](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/chemical-peel/) or other options such as [Skin Brightening Treatment](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/skin-brightening-treatment/).

Contact your clinician if burning persists, swelling develops, the treated area blisters, or the skin becomes markedly darker. Seek assessment for a spot that is raised, crusted, bleeding, painful, or changing differently from the surrounding patches. A review is also sensible when the diagnosis is uncertain or the pattern does not respond as expected.

Ask what the product is intended to do, where to apply it, how to handle a missed application, and which other skincare ingredients to avoid. Confirm whether it is suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, when the first review should occur, and what reaction requires a pause.