You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. It also helps regulate your body temperature, prevent hydration and feel sensations like the warmth of the stove, the fur on your dogs belly and the pressure of someone elses hand holding yours. A topical treatment isnt your only option. How Many Types of Pregnancy Melasma Are There? Although most skin-lightening ingredients are off-limits during pregnancy, talk to your doctor about whether you can apply topical azelaic acid to your skin for melasma. How to Identify & Treat a Melasma Mustache, What to Know Before Getting Melasma Laser Treatment, Understanding Pityriasis Rosea vs. Guttate Psoriasis, Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth: Everything to Know, Skin Discoloration: Causes and Treatments, Melasma: a clinical and epidemiological review, A review of laser and light therapy in melasma. 5 Tips to Prevent Constipation During Pregnancy, How to Cope With Anxiety During Pregnancy, A Complete Guide to Pregnancy-Safe Skincare, Breastfeeding Safe SkincareWhat to Use and Avoid When Nursing Your Baby, The 11 Best Pregnancy-Safe Skincare Products Dermatologists Love. It is very common in pregnant people and tends to appear during the second or third trimester. There are some procedures that your dermatologist can do to improve your melasma. Causes of melasma in pregnancy Skin hyperpigmentation during pregnancy is very common. Your skin is made up of three layers. See your dermatologist in that instance. They can appear as flat patches or freckle-like spots. The good news is that this hyperpigmentation likely wont get worse after you deliver your child. Warm compresses (running warm water over your breasts in the shower or applying a warm washcloth) and massages will probably clear the duct in a few days. Youre also at a higher risk for it if you a have darker skin tone. Undated. 2020;1(2):65-67. doi:10.5606/jebms.2020.75614. Spontaneous recovery back to pre-pregnancy levels usually occurs within 6-12 months. All rights reserved. 2020. Medications that may cause or worsen melasma. Physical blocking sunscreens tend to offer broader protection and may be less irritating to the skin. The first thing you need to do to treat your melasma is to make sure that it doesnt get any worse. No. However, a skin-friendly diet including adequate amounts of vitamin D is likely to help. What is known is that there is a genetic component in the development of melasma. It can be frustrating to deal with changes to your skin during pregnancy. Your. But, keep in mind that it can fade on its own after youre no longer pregnant, and there are other ways to help it along the way. Again, there are a variety of factors at play when it comes to darkening pigment. When this increases the amount of melanin produced also increases creating patches of darkened skin. Melasma: a clinical and epidemiological review. 6.4 EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Face Sunscreen. Ahead, were discussing everything you need to know about pregnancy melasma, including what it is, what causes it, and how you can both treat and help prevent it. Cat is a linguistic alchemist and expert wordsmith who has written and edited for some of the world's biggest brands. And, if youre pregnant, its appearance may improve on its own around three months after your baby arrives and your surge in pregnancy hormones stabilizes. When Might Melasma Develop During Pregnancy? The association between melasma and iron profile: A case-control study. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Changing hormones, particularly the excess of estrogen and progesterone, is the main cause of melasma during pregnancy. This means that its long-lasting (three months or more). You may need to use different topicals or chemical peels to help get rid of stubborn pigment. Look for products that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or other physical blockers (mineral sunscreens) versus those that rely on chemical blockers. Learn more aboutour editorial and medical review policies. We'll tell you what to avoid and some good, Skin tags are common during pregnancy and can be painful. Stretch marks are easier to prevent than erase. Applying this powerful antioxidant to your skin can help brighten melasma while providing other anti-aging benefits, like increased collegen production. However, there are skin cancers that may mimic melasma, so seeing your dermatologist is often recommended to confirm the correct diagnosis. It's considered safe during both pregnancy and breastfeeidng. At this time no foods or drinks are known by experts to directly cause, magically cure or worsen melasma. It is not visible under blacklight and is much more challenging to treat. Melasma is also sometimes referred to as the mask of pregnancy because the splotches typically show up around your upper lip, nose, cheekbones, and forehead in the shape of a mask. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/melasma-overview [Accessed September 2020], UpToDate. Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. However, it can make people self-conscious about their appearance. Not all laser therapies are ideal for treating discoloration. Melasma is only a pigmentary concern, and does not affect the health of the mother or baby. When did see the discoloration in your skin? Fluctuations in certain hormones can cause melasma, which is why it commonly occurs during pregnancy. Hyperovulation has few symptoms, if any. Dr. Arlo Miller answered Dermatology 17 years experience Avoid: I would not recommend it. If you have melasma, your freckles and moles may also look darker, there's probably a dark line down the center of your abdomen (the linea nigra) and your areolas could be a deeper shade. For some women, contraceptives containing estrogen (such as the Pill, the patch, and the vaginal ring) can also contribute to melasma. Signs of melasma during pregnancy Melasma occurs most often on the face as brown or grayish-brown patches that sometimes look blotchy. The hormonal and physiologic changes during pregnancy are unique in the life of women. Melasma can appear at any time during pregnancy, but it develops most often during the second or third trimester when certain hormone levels are increasing. By Nancy LeBrun American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. When it appears on the upper lip, it's referred to as a, It's important for everyone to use sunscreen there's no exception for pregnancy. Melasma can potentially be prevented by always wearing sunscreen and a hat while in the sun. What's more, skin that's already more pigmented such as your nipples, freckles, scars, and the skin of your genitals may become even darker during pregnancy. What Bodily Changes Can You Expect During Pregnancy? Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information. Report all side effects to your healthcare provider. Estrogen coupled with blood vessel growth, sun exposure, genetics, and hormones deposit pigment in the skin. 6 Treatment of Melasma during pregnancy. Coming to a Cleveland Clinic location?Hillcrest Cancer Center check-in changesCole Eye entrance closingVisitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Notice of Intelligent Business Solutions data eventLearn more. Is Any Acne Treatment Safe to Use During Pregnancy? ClinicalTrials.gov. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Melasma: causes. American Academy of Dermatology Association. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Ali, S, Bali S, P S. Hormonal evaluation in females having melasma. Melasma is a skin condition characterized by brown or blue-gray patches or freckle-like spots. Accessed 7/23/2020. Melasma is harmless. Even after melasma is treated and improved, I recommend use of a daily topical cream and oral antioxidants to maintain results long-term, advises Dr. Nazarian. Treatment once you have finished breast- feeding can take the normal course, which normally begins with topical bleaching . Melasma is sometimes called the mask of pregnancy because it frequently affects pregnant women. How much youre out in the sun or even the time of year when youre pregnant may also affect when you first notice it. Your skin is your barricade. American Academy of Dermatology. How can I prevent melasma from getting worse during pregnancy? You may see a line ( linea. If your hyperpigmentation is accompanied by consistent itching, irritation or discomfort, its important to note that these are not symptoms of melasma. Wondering what skin care products are safe and which to avoid while pregnant? It may take several months for your hormones to balance and skin pigmentation to fade. Journal of Experimental and Basic Medical Sciences. Related: Your guide to pregnancy-safe skin care. In addition to topical treatments and oral medication, Dr. Belkin recommends going that route, with a couple of caveats. Although its a benign condition that doesnt cause any pain or discomfort, its appearance can negatively impact your confidence and self-esteem. If other treatments haven't helped, a dermatologist can lighten dark spots with laser treatments, but that's not the first option. (2008). It's common to develop blotchy spots of darker skin when you're pregnant, a condition called melasma or chloasma. Melasma during pregnancy is a skin condition in which melanocytes, the skin cells that produce melanin, produce more pigment than usual. Pregnancy melasma, and melasma in general, fall into three categories based on how deep into the skin the dark spots are: epidermal, dermal, and mixed. Read our, Why Does Melasma Develop During Pregnancy. Melasma is a harmless skin condition. At this time no medication can completely prevent melasma. Although its a physically harmless skin condition, we know that it can be bothersome, even to the point of making you feel self-conscious in social settings. Chioma Ndubisi, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who specializes in sexual and reproductive health in New York, New York. Her favorite pastimes include experimenting with new foods, libations, and restaurants, as well as traveling the world with her two college-age children, husband, extended family, and friends. "Hydroquinone at 2-4% works miracles for women with a pregnancy mask," Dr. Zenovia shares. You may also develop dark patches on your cheeks, along your jawline, or on your forearms and other parts of your body that are exposed to the sun. Dealing with melasma during pregnancy can be a challenge, but it's not impossible. Do I have melasma or another type of skin disorder? The same increased production of melanin that causes the facial splotches of melasma also causes the linea nigra, or dark line that you may notice running down your belly. Spots of melasma can sometimes be mistaken for freckles but they are not the same skin condition. Beyond that, the dark patches on the face can be exacerbated by sun exposure, the use of certain skin care products or treatments, and even genetics. They include medications, makeup, and cosmetics that irritate your skin or make it more sensitive to sunlight, the blue light emitted from your devices, and underlying thyroid disease. Related: Skin color needs to be factored in when discussing skin diseases. (We know, weve felt that knee-jerk instinct at times, too.) Use sunscreen Using sunscreen is one of the best ways to ward off the harmful effects of sun exposure. An increase in estrogen levels can worsen melasma. Exposure to the sun can make melasma worse. This pregnancy-friendly spin on traditional chili is packed with the nutrients your body needs when you're expecting. Ask your healthcare provider if youre concerned about another condition. Melasma is especially common in darker-skinned women or those of Asian and African descent, who have more pigment in their skin than fair-skinned people. Melasma can develop at any time during your pregnancy, however. Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. Hello. Melasma is more common during pregnancy, affecting 15% to 50% of pregnant people. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests.