3 Ways to Treat Melasma After Pregnancy

They call it the “mask of pregnancy” for a reason. Hormonal changes can cause your facial skin to develop brown or gray patches. By some estimates, this condition — called melasma — affects at least half of women during pregnancy. 

While melasma isn’t physically uncomfortable, it’s not necessarily a welcome change. After you have your baby, you’re probably ready to get back to feeling like yourself. Notable changes in your face don’t help there.

That’s why our team offers treatment for melasma at our offices on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York City and Madison, Connecticut. Norman J. Pastorek, MD, Janice Pastorek, BSN, RN, and our team assess your skin and tailor a treatment plan just for you. 

Here are a few of the options we may recommend to clear up your melasma. 

1.  Patience and sun avoidance

For some women, melasma clears up after they have their babies. The key here is protecting the skin on your face from the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun encourage your skin to make more pigment, which can make your melasma worse so it takes longer to fade. 

This said, it can take months for melasma to go away on its own — and it doesn’t always disappear without treatment. If you’d rather address it now, our team offers targeted treatments. 

2. Clear + Brilliant® laser treatment

This innovative laser gives us a gentle but effective tool to address the excess pigment in your melasma. It’s noninvasive and minimally uncomfortable, plus it comes with very little downtime.

With a series of 30-minute treatments, we encourage your skin to create new cells free from the excess pigment that makes your melasma visible. That makes Clear + Brilliant one of the most effective tools in our arsenal to fade melasma. 

3. PRX Derm Perfexion

Topical treatments can encourage your melasma to disappear faster, and we offer one of the most effective options. PRX Derm Perfexion blends hydrogen peroxide, 33% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and kojic acid. This means you get a peel-like topical solution — but without any discomfort or extensive peeling. 

As PRX Derm Perfexion encourages rejuvenation in your skin, it also nourishes it. The treatment improves your skin’s texture and works to eliminate irregularities in your skin tone. 

In fact, both the Clear + Brilliant laser and PRX Derm Perfexion give you a way to boost your skin’s overall appearance as you clear your melasma. If you’re curious to learn more about these treatments and what they can do for your post-pregnancy complexion, call either of our offices or book your appointment online today.