Melasma is a variation of hyperpigmentation that most commonly develops in women. It occurs primarily on the face and is characterized by brown or grayish-brown patches along the cheeks, chin, and forehead. Though it’s still unclear what directly causes this condition to occur, correlations have been drawn between the overproduction of melanin and sudden spikes in hormones. This is why melasma predominantly affects women during their pregnancies. Still, living with this condition isn’t easy, and many women find themselves in desperate need of some form of reprieve. Try these tips for effectively treating melasma to ease your symptoms and get back to enjoying life.

Protect Yourself from the Sun

It’s been shown that UV rays can actually worsen your melasma if you don’t protect yourself. To begin treating your skin, you should first limit your overall sun exposure. You can do this by wearing sunscreen anytime you go outdoors and reapplying it as often as the products suggests. You can also reduce the number of rays your face gets by wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat on sunny days.

Buy Gentle Skin Cleansers

General skin inflammation, dryness, and redness may be relatively common, but when you have melasma, they can also darken your blemishes or even produce new ones. This is because your cells are reacting to what they perceive as damage and continuing to overproduce melanin. For this reason, it’s recommended that you switch to using gentler face washes and cleansers during this time. These products are less likely to irritate your skin and potentially worsen your condition.

Use Specialized Lightening Products

Another tip for effectively treating melasma is to adjust your skin care routine to include some specialized treatment options. Ingredients such as hydroquinone and glutathione can slow the skin’s production of melanin and even out skin tone over time. As such, it only makes sense that using some of these serums can do the same for your melasma. From skin whitening supplements to lightening lotions, you can experiment with a series of different products. However, to find the best treatment plan for you, you should first talk with your doctor.