Melasma is also named as Chloasma. Chloasma is occupied from the Greek word chloazein, meaning “to be green.” Melas, also Greek, means “black.” Since the pigmentation is never green in appearance, melasma is the preferred term Melasma is a dark skin discoloration and found on sun-exposed areas of the face. It can affect anybody, young women with brownish skin tones are at greatest endanger.

Melasma also occurs as a side-effect of consuming contraceptive pills and injected depot contraceptive preparations. It may also be noticed in seemingly healthy, normal, non-pregnant women where it is presumed to be because of some mild and harmless hormonal imbalance. Melasma is much more normal in women than in men. Women are affected in 90% of cases. When men are influenced, the clinical and histologic picture is similar. Melasma is generally related with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

It is much more common in inherent darker skin types as compared to lighter skin types and especially Hispanics and Asians, from areas of the world with intense sun exposure. Darker patches of skin emerge on the forehead, temples, cheeks or upper lip. Other agents involved in the etiopathogenesis of melasma are photosensitizing medications, mild ovarian or thyroid dysfunction, and certain cosmetics. If person is already proned to melasma, exposure to the sun increases your risk. For instance, women who are pregnant or who take a hormone medication and avoid the sun are less likely to develop melasma than are those who spend a lot of time in the sun.

Causes of Melasma

Common causes of Melasma

• Genetics.
• Hormonal influences ( Estrogen, progesterone).
• Sun exposure.
• Emotional stress.

Symptoms of Melasma

Common Symptoms of Melasma

• Darker patches of skin.

Treatment of Melasma

Common Treatment of Melasma

• Use of tretinoin ( trans- retinoic-acid) can be effective as monotherapy.
• Azelaic acid, present as a 20% cream-based formulation, seems to be as effective as 4% HQ and superior to 2% HQ in the treatment of melasma.
• Hydroquinone (HQ) is most commonly used hydroxyphenolic chemical that inhibits tyrosinase, leading to the decreased production of melanin.
• Wear a hat with a brim to shade and protect your face.
• Apply sun block (such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) to vulnerable areas.
• Use sunscreen that protects against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation. The sunscreen should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
• Oranges are very useful in measles, as the digestive power of the body is seriously affected. The patient mourns from intense toxemia and the lack of saliva coats his tongue and often hampers his thirst for water as well as his desire for food. The pleasant flavor of orange juice helps greatly in overcoming these drawbacks. Orange juice is the ideal liquid food for this disease.