Everything You Should Know About Melasma

You might have expected some small, darker spots on your skin as you grow older. After all, age spots are incredibly common. But larger darkened areas can be a cause for cosmetic concern. If you have areas of discolored skin that don’t seem to be going away, you could be living with melasma. 

This skin condition causes darker patches to develop on your face. If you have unexplained dark areas, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Dr. Norman J. Pastorek and Janice Pastorek, BSN, RN, at our office in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Here, we offer skin rejuvenation treatments to reduce the appearance of melasma. 

But first, it can be helpful to understand what’s going on with your skin. 

Melasma symptoms and causes

Melasma causes certain areas of your skin to become darker than the surrounding areas. These patches usually appear on your:

• Chin
• Nose
• Cheeks
• Forehead
• Upper lip

Melasma is significantly more likely to affect women than men, and as many as 50% of women develop this skin condition during pregnancy. In those cases, the skin discoloration is caused by changes in hormone levels. 

But not all melasma is caused by hormonal shifts. Sun exposure can also trigger this condition. To defend against melasma, make sure you’re taking the proper precautions before you get out in the sun. That includes applying sunscreen at least 15 minutes before you go outside, and wearing a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off of your face. 

Ultimately, though, if you develop darkened patches on your skin, don’t panic. Treatment is available to help lighten those areas so they blend back into the surrounding skin. 

Treating melasma

At our office, Dr. Pastorek and Janice have extensive experience treating melasma with our skin-rejuvenation treatments. Several of our laser treatments address areas of hyperpigmentation such as melasma.

With these state-of-the-art treatments, we can target the discolored areas on your skin while helping your entire face look its best. Some of the options Dr. Pastorek or Janice may recommend, like Clear and Brilliant Permea treatments, are most effective with a series of in-office treatments.

Pay us a visit so we can build a customized skin-rejuvenation treatment plan to clear your melasma and give you back your even complexion.

If you’re ready to get started on your path to an even skin tone, call us or schedule your appointment online today. We look forward to applying our expertise to help you combat melasma.