What is Melasma?

Melasma, also called liver spot, is a yellow-brown pigmentation of the face. Polysymmetric butterflies are distributed on the cheeks. More common in women, high blood estrogen levels are the main reason, and its incidence is related to pregnancy, long-term oral contraceptives, and menstrual disorders.

Basic Information

nickname

Liver spots

English name

chloasma

Visiting department

dermatology

Multiple groups

female

Common locations

Cheek

Common causes

It is not clear that high blood estrogen levels may be the main cause

Common symptoms

Skin brown or dark brown patches, often symmetrically distributed on the cheeks

Contagious

no

Causes of melasma

The cause is not clear, it is more common in women, high blood estrogen levels are the main reason. Its incidence is related to pregnancy, long-term oral contraceptives, and menstrual disorders. Also seen in some female reproductive system disorders, tuberculosis, cancer, chronic alcoholism, liver disease and other patients. Sunlight can cause illness. About 10% of male patients, and some studies believe that male incidence is genetically related.

Melasma clinical manifestations

The lesions are yellow-brown or dark brown patches, which are usually symmetrically distributed on the cheek cheeks, and can also involve the orbit, forehead, upper lip, and nose, and the edges are generally obvious. No subjective symptoms and general discomfort. The depth of pigmentation is related to the season, sun, and endocrine factors. Nervous, staying up late, tiredness can aggravate skin damage.

Melasma diagnosis

According to the yellow-brown rash, it can be diagnosed more often in young and middle-aged women and onset sites, and it needs to be distinguished from freckles, Riel melanosis, Ota nevus, and brown-blue nevus in the crotch.

Melasma treatment

No satisfactory treatment yet. If the cause is found, try to remove the cause. Melasma caused by birth control pills should be discontinued, but not necessarily resolved in the short term.

Local treatment

(1) Topical medication is the simplest and most commonly used treatment. Topical tyrosinase inhibitor ointments, such as 5% hydroquinone cream, 2-4% kojic acid cream, and 3% arbutin. There are different degrees of curative effect after application. These drugs are antioxidants, which are susceptible to oxidation in the air and sunlight. They should be kept closed and protected from light. In recent years, it has been reported that the use of 0.1% retinoic acid ointment for the treatment of melasma, topical glucocorticoids, etc. have a certain effect.

(2) Exfoliation therapy Local application of trichloroacetic acid solution can exfoliate the skin and remove pigmentation spots. Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy can peel the epidermis after freezing and necrosis to remove the pigment. In the grinding operation, the epidermis is removed by a grinding head to remove the pigment. After the wound is healed, apply sunscreen, etc. Otherwise, it is easy to relapse after sun exposure.

(3) Facial mask therapy Facial mask therapy includes simple facial mask, facial cream massage method and inverted facial mask method. Among them, the inverted mask method has been widely used in the treatment of melasma and has achieved satisfactory results. Mask inverted mold therapy integrates medicine, massage, and physiotherapy in one, so it has multiple therapeutic effects. The treatment procedure is: cationic steam moisturizing-mask cream massage-forming inverted mold agent. The medicinal composition of the mask cream plays a key role in the treatment of melasma. At present, there are depigmenting mask cream, whitening mask cream, and Chinese herbal medicine mask for treating chloasma.

(4) Laser or intense pulsed light treatment Recently, it has been reported that the application of photorejuvenation and the application of Q-switched laser to treat some patients with melasma are effective.

2. Systemic treatment

Vitamin C: To promote hypopigmentation, vitamin C is available, preferably intravenously.

Melasma prevention

As the sun has a certain relationship with the onset of illness or illness, you should pay attention to sun protection. When you go out, you can use creams containing light-shielding agents (such as 5% titanium dioxide cream, 5% salicylic acid benzoate ointment) or umbrella Wait. Pay attention to rest and avoid staying up late.