Melasma is a very common condition, especially amongst pregnant women. While for some it may appear and disappear over time, many men and women experience their skin developing melasma over the years and it remains as permanent hyperpigmentation. After years of skin damage due to excessive sun exposure, hormonal fluctuations, possible poor lifestyle changes, and the natural aging process, the skin begins to show pigmentation. This discolouration over specific areas of the face shows up and can be identified as melasma.

Melasma most often appears on the face around the eyes, nose, sides of the face, and forehead. Quite literally, melasma is a disease of hyperpigmentation characterized by dark brown patches with angular borders over the cheeks and face, sometimes also including the neck. If you’re someone who suffers from melasma, you probably notice that the condition worsens, or is at least aggravated, by sun exposure and heat in general (warm climate, steam, etc).

This heat contributes to dilated blood vessels in the skin causing underlying redness which therefore worsens the condition. Protecting your skin from ultraviolet radiation is incredibly important. You can do this by applying broad-spectrum sunscreen multiple times throughout the day to reduce the chances of developing more hyperpigmentation.

At Toronto’s Elements Spa, board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar will analyze your skin condition and create a tailored treatment plan to best address your melasma and/or hyperpigmentation. Options include chemicals peels and light-based therapies like IPL or FRAXEL Erbium laser which have all shown variable success in improving melasma and hyperpigmentation. Microneedling may also be used as a treatment for pigmentation. Microneedling is a minimally invasive facial procedure that delivers micro punctures to the skin which allows for new healing and rejuvenation via the body’s natural wound-healing response.

Depending on your specific skin type, Dr. Adibfar and his medically-trained staff will need to create a treatment protocol that best suits your pigmentation condition. The most important factor when undergoing a session to treat melasma and/or hyperpigmentation is that the professional you choose is trained and experienced in the procedure. Deciding to undergo a facial procedure based on the use of a coupon or price is always a poor decision-making factor. At-home devices and treatments should also be avoided or used with caution. Please always seek an experienced professional as at-home treatments or treatments via an inexperienced professional can open the opportunity for complications including scarring, infection, and worsened discolouration.

A tailored treatment plan by Dr. Adibfar can prove to be an ideal solution for patients suffering from melasma. Past and present patients find that after completing their prescribed regimen that their skin appears more refreshed, brighter, younger, and with a more even skin tone.

Click here to learn more or to book a consultation with one of Toronto’s leading board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, Dr. Adibfar.