It's often called the “mask of pregnancy.” Melasma happens because of overproduction of the cells that make the color of your skin. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help. Melasma usually fades after a few months.
Treatments include: Topical over-the-counter skin treatments, such as vitamin C, retinol or azelaic acid. Topical prescription skin lightening creams. These creams include active ingredients such as hydroquinone, which can decrease melanin production.
“A melasma mustache is caused by a complex interplay of sun exposure, family history, hormonal influences, thyroid disease and medications that lead to molecular signaling within the skin,” Dr. Akhtar explains.
Bottom line: A cream containing hydroquinone or kojic acid (such as La Roche-Posay Mela-D Dark Spots, $45) along with a topical retinoid (like prescription Renova) and mild over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can fade the discoloration after about six weeks of nightly use.
Papaya Both raw and ripe papaya are used for curing various skin disorders. Papain, present in papayas, causes them to be the best home remedy for melasma. Mash a few pieces of papaya and mix it with honey. Apply the paste on affected areas and leave it for 20 minutes.
While melasma most often develops after prolonged sun exposure or during pregnancy due to fluctuating hormone levels, it may also be a sign of malnutrition or liver disease. Studies have linked melasma to people with poor liver function, vitamin B12 deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.
Apply sunscreen at least half an hour before you step out. Avoid waxing the area and choose threading instead. - Dermatologist Geeta Oberoi suggests a few other options. “Skin lightening creams, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser resurfacing are other alternatives,” she ends.
The upper lip is a common location for melasma to develop. This condition is more common in women and happens when melanocytes produce more melanin than usual. As a result, concentrated areas of melanin in the epidermis appear darker, and when this hyperpigmentation is above the lip, it gives a mustachioed appearance.
There is no one best treatment for melasma
Often, the most effective treatment combines sun protection with medications that you apply to your skin — and sometimes a procedure. If you want to treat melasma, be sure to ask your dermatologist about the cost of treatment.
Use lemon, with care. People have long used lemon as a home remedy for skin lightening. Cut a slice of lemon and hold it to the lips for no longer than a minute, then rinse with warm water. Lemon may have some effect on exfoliating the skin because it contains citric acid.
Melasma is a condition in which areas of the skin become darker than the surrounding skin. Doctors call this hyperpigmentation. It typically occurs on the face, particularly the forehead, cheeks and above the upper lip. The dark patches often appear on both sides of the face in a nearly identical pattern.
What causes upper lip discolouration? Upper lip discolouration usually comes down to an excess of melanin. Melanin is the substance that gives our eyes and skin their color. Too much of it causes the skin to darken which can cause some dark patches on the face or more specifically, above the lip.
So, when you want to eat something to treat melasma and freckles, eliminate suspected allergenic foods such as eggs, milk and dairy products, soy and soy products, wheat gluten , marine fish and shellfish, peanuts. For many people, melasma and freckles are hormonal triggers.
Sun exposure.
"The sun is the major exacerbating factor, whatever the underlying cause." Melasma can be caused or worsened by not only the sun's rays, but also heat and visible light. This means that even sunscreens that protect against skin cancer aren't enough to ward off melasma, says Dr. Kourosh.
Oxidative stress and peroxidation of lipids appear to create a common link between the occurrence of melasma and fatty liver, which partly suggests the relationship between melasma incidence and lipid disorders in the liver.
Smoker's lips are characterized by vertical wrinkles around the mouth. Lips and gums can also become hyperpigmented, significantly darker than their natural rosy shine. Smoker's lips can begin to appear months or years after smoking or using other tobacco products.