Melasma

Melasma, a skin disorder that most often affects women, appears in the form of dark spots and hyperpigmentation on the face. Treatment is often painful and long-lasting, but with the right therapy, it doesn’t have to be that way. With effective treatments – peelings ana non-ablative lasers,  we remove melasma very successfully.

Melasma is a chronic skin condition that most often appears between the ages of 30 and 30. and 60. years. It mainly manifests itself on the face, in the form of larger dark discolorations and spots. It is a type of hyperpigmentation that is usually light to dark brown in color. It is specific that in 90% of cases, melasma appears in women, and only in 10% it affects men. Most often, women get melasma during pregnancy. There is information that as many as 90 percent of pregnant women have melasma in some form.
Melasma most often appears on the nose, cheeks, forehead, chin and above the upper lip. Apart from the face, it can also appear on other parts of the body, mainly on those that are often exposed to the sun.
The main cause of melasma is the pigment melanin , that is, its excessive production. Melanin is the pigment that determines the color of our skin. Melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, are located in the deepest layer of the epidermis. If for some reason there is an increased production of melanocytes and the creation of an unnecessary amount of melanin, the consequence can be different types of discoloration on the skin and an uneven complexion. Small freckles, flecks or small spots on the skin occur, but also larger hyperpigmentation such as melasma.

Melasma: causes of occurrence

One of the main causes can be hormonal in nature. For example, during pregnancy, certain hormones stimulate the production of melanocytes and this leads to the production of a larger amount of pigment. Due to hormonal imbalance, melasma appears most often in pregnant women. This form of melasma is also called “pregnancy mask” or chloasma. After giving birth, melasma may disappear on its own in some cases. Due to hormonal imbalance, melasma also appears in menopausal women.
Taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy can cause hormonal changes similar to pregnancy. That is why it can occur in these cases as well.
Patients who suffer from epilepsy and use anticonvulsant drugs are also at an increased risk of melasma, and its appearance can be conditioned by genetic predispositions.
Excessive exposure to sunlight is the first cause of premature skin aging, but also a trigger for melasma. Harmful UV rays will stimulate the production of melanocytes. People with a darker complexion who naturally have a higher amount of melanin in their skin are in a special situation. That’s why it is necessary to adequately protect the skin during every exposure to the sun, and thus we will prevent its photoaging and damage from UV rays.

Fortunately, today there are a large number of methods and protocols that very successfully and long-term eliminate all types of spots on the skin, including melasma. Chemical peels, mesotherapy or laser removal of melasma – all treatments must be performed exclusively by a trained doctor.

Chemical peels are a non-invasive medical procedure during which we remove the surface layer of the skin using various acids. Chemical peels are one of the most effective treatments for treating melasma and other types of hyperpigmentation, as they do not cause reactive pigmentation. Among the most effective are TCA peeling, as well as Melanostop chemical peeling.

TCA chemical peel to remove melasma

TCA or trichloroacetic acid peeling works best when hyperpigmentation needs to be removed, including melasma. Also, it is very effective in rejuvenating the skin, removing scars, age spots. Depending on the type of melasma, the depth of TCA peeling is determined. It can be deep or medium deep. Trichloroacetic acid is used in a concentration of 15% to 80%. We perform TCA peeling from October to the end of March, when UV radiation is at its weakest, in order to avoid additional spots and hyperpigmentation.
We apply a trichloroacetic acid solution to the cleaned skin in several layers, which will affect the depth of the peeling. After ten minutes, we remove the acid and apply a protective cream to the skin. During the treatment, patients feel a slight burning sensation and an increased feeling of heat.
The skin recovery period will depend on the depth of peeling, usually up to 7 days. After the treatment, the skin is red, then gradually darkens, flakes and peels. The doctor will recommend which regenerative cream to use and it is important not to touch or exfoliate the skin forcefully. Let it regenerate naturally. For optimal results, it is necessary to repeat the treatment 3 to 5 times, with intervals of one month. The first results are noticed already after the first treatment. Melasma gradually fades, the skin is softer, has a fairer complexion and looks healthier.
After TCA peeling, it is important to adequately protect the skin. It is necessary to constantly apply a cream with a high protection factor on the face and to avoid direct exposure to the sun for at least two months. This is exactly why TCA peeling is done during autumn and winter. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, this peeling should never be done.

Melanostop chemical peeling against melasma

Melanostop is a clinically proven, special acid cocktail for removing hyperpigmentation on the body and face. It does not cause irritation, and we use it for mild or moderate hyperpigmentation. These are melasma, solar lentigo, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, as well as for smoothing the texture and against photoaging of the skin.
Melanostop consists of active ingredients such as azelaic acid (20%), resorcinol (10%), phytic acid (6%) and tranexamic acid (3%). Each of them has its own role, they reduce the activity of melanocytes, lighten pigmentation, remove hard and thickened skin, reduce melanin production and its accumulation.
After thorough cleaning of the skin, Melanostop cocktail acid is applied. After it works for 5 to 10 minutes, we neutralize the acid and apply a soothing mask. The treatment lasts about 35 minutes in total. There is no period of resistance, no peeling and redness of the skin.
It is necessary to do a series of 3 to 6 treatments, with an interval of 15 days. For enhanced treatment effects, Melanostop can be combined with dermapen.

We perform laser treatment of melasma by using laser beams of a certain length to target damaged and darkened parts of the skin. We can perform treatments using non-ablative lasers throughout the year. Mild redness may occur, but there is no irritation or recovery period. We achieve the best results with lasers that are part of the multifunctional Harmony XL PRO platform.

ClearLift Q-switched Nd:yag

This laser gives excellent results in the field of skin rejuvenation, but also very effectively treats various hyperpigmentation. With its photoacoustic effect, the ClearLift laser breaks down the pigments of spots and pigmentation on the skin, and the complexion becomes uniform.
With it, it is possible to precisely control the depth of the treatment, depending on whether the melasma is dermal or epidermal. The laser penetrates to the deepest layers of the skin, while not damaging its surface.
Treatments can be performed on the face, neck, décolletage, hands and stomach. One treatment lasts about 30 minutes, and optimal results require 3 to 4 treatments. ClearLift treatment is safe for all skin types, painless, requires no anesthesia and no recovery period.

Dye VL

The Harmony DYE VL laser module will effectively remove various imperfections, spots and lighten melasma. It is also known as phototherapy, and is based on IPL technology (Intense Pulsed Light) . Short-term laser pulses pass into the deeper layers of the skin, while the probe intensively cools the surface of the skin and makes the treatment painless. Pigment spots and stains are dissolved, the complexion is more beautiful and uniform. With this laser, we successfully treat acne, rosacea, couperose as well as red inflamed acne. There is no recovery period after the treatment, and a side effect may be a slight redness on the skin. Most often, 3 to 6 treatments are needed, which are done three to four weeks apart. DYE VL treatments are exclusively done during autumn, winter and early spring. Find out everything about the DYE VL laser treatment by clicking on the link.

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is one of the best choices for treating various types of hyperpigmentation, including melasma and rosacea. It works by reducing the number of blood vessels in the dermis (the middle layer of the skin), accelerates cell renewal and fights against all factors that help melanin production. It is suitable for all skin types. We treat this acid throughout the year, and we introduce it under the skin using the mesotherapy technique. Acid in a certain concentration is injected into the middle layer of the skin using very thin needles. The treatment lasts about 40 minutes, and a series of 3 treatments spaced three to four weeks apart is recommended.
This treatment is contraindicated for pregnant women, people with coagulation problems, autoimmune diseases or bacterial infections.

If you are in the risk group for developing melasma, there are several ways to help prevent it or slow its spread.

• Choose appropriate facial care products;
• Always protect yourself well from the sun, apply a high SPF, wear glasses and a hat;
• If you are taking hormone therapy or birth control pills, check to see if this may be causing your melasma.

Melasma removal prices depend on the treatment we perform, so it is best to take a detailed look at the Pricelist page. For any additional questions, call us at 060/345-0304 or write to us at estetikabgd@gmail.com.