Melasma on the face: 3 care questions

What is melasma on the face?

Melasma shows up as flat brown patches, often on both sides of the face. 🟤

Sun, pregnancy and changes in hormones can help set it off. Nobody fully understands what causes it yet. A skin doctor can check whether a patch really is melasma.

Reference: Handel et al., 2014

You don't have to pick a strong treatment from a photo or a search result. 🙅 Start by learning about it, then ask about care that fits your health.

Where should you start with melasma care?

Start with three questions. 📝 What might be setting off the patches? How can you protect your skin from the sun every day? And when is it time to ask a skin doctor?

They won't make melasma vanish. They help you and your doctor pick the next step together.

1. What might be setting off the patches?

Bring a short story to a skin doctor. 📝 When did the patches start? Did anything change during a pregnancy? Which medicines and skin products do you use?

That helps the doctor look at possible triggers. A trigger listed in a paper isn't proof it's the cause for you.

Reference: Handel et al., 2014

Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. ⚠️ If you think it might be part of the problem, ask the person who prescribed it.

2. How can you protect your skin from the sun?

Sunscreen every day. ☀️ The American Academy of Dermatology suggests broad-spectrum, water resistant, SPF 30 or higher, put on again every two hours. For melasma it also suggests a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide, and no tanning beds or sunlamps.

Reference: American Academy of Dermatology, 2023

Zinc oxide and iron oxides each have their own ingredient page. When you choose a sunscreen, the whole formula and its tested protection matter. 🧴

One trial compared two sunscreens: one with iron oxide, which also blocks some visible light, and one without. 68 people with melasma took part for 8 weeks. Everyone also used 4% hydroquinone, a medicine, as part of the study plan. The iron oxide group improved more. 📈

Reference: Castanedo-Cazares et al., 2014

That result comes from the whole plan together. It doesn't show that iron oxide alone fixes melasma. The medicine is mentioned only because it was part of the study. This guide isn't telling you to start it.

3. When should you ask a skin doctor?

If you're not sure what the patches are, or you want treatment, ask for a check. 👩‍⚕️ If melasma keeps bothering you, a skin doctor can talk through a plan with you.

Pick gentle skin care. A new product that burns or stings is irritating your skin, so stop using it.

Reference: American Academy of Dermatology, 2023

Pregnant or breastfeeding? Say so before starting any treatment. 🤰 A quiz can help you choose a routine. It can't diagnose a brown patch or replace a doctor's plan.

Should melasma skin care be fragrance-free?

That's what the American Academy of Dermatology suggests. 🌸 Its melasma self-care advice says to pick gentle, fragrance-free skin care, next to daily sunscreen.

It's care advice for every day. It doesn't come with a trial showing that skipping fragrance alone clears melasma.

Reference: American Academy of Dermatology, 2023

To check a label, look for fragrance or parfum in the list. 🔍 Fragrance-free goes on the checklist, next to sunscreen. For brown marks in general, see the dark spots page.

For a routine built from your own skin answers, take the free skin quiz.