Treating Melasma With Natural Remedies

Be careful not to expose yourself to the sun, or if you do, remember to apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor. It is also important to protect your face on a daily basis.

Treating melasma, those spots that appear on the skin of the face when it is exposed to the sun, is fairly straightforward. Melasma is a fairly common skin condition, and it usually affects young women who have a fair or golden complexion.

The characteristics of melasma

This skin problem is associated with breast imbalances of two types of female hormones, progesterones and estrogen. This is also why very often melasma develops in pregnant women,  or in those who take oral contraceptive pills.

It is also found in women who take hormone therapy during the menopause stage. For this disease to appear, it is necessary to be in contact with the sun. This is also why women who live in countries with a tropical climate are more at risk of being affected by the disease.

It can also appear during the summer. Other cases arise when you have high levels of stress. They can also be side effects to a cosmetic or a drug, or a malfunction of the thyroid hormone. This disorder can also be hereditary.

There is only one symptom for melasma: the change in color of the skin on the face. This can create some type of pain or worry about physical appearance.

The disorders on the skin tone are almost always the same: it is a uniform coffee color. These spots are found on the forehead, cheeks, nose and upper lip. Very often, they are symmetrical: they are  found the same way on each side of the face.

Treatment of melasma by medical means

Medical treatments can include:

• Creams containing azelaic and kojic acid, hydroquinone and tretinoin
• Exfoliation with topical or chemical steroid creams
• Laser treatments if the spots are very severe
• A suspension of the hormonal drugs that cause the problem

Sometimes you may even be asked to wait until the end of the pregnancy to see if the symptom persists.

After taking the right treatment, melasma usually goes away. Often this lasts a few months at most. The problem may return if the woman becomes pregnant again or if she starts taking hormones again.

Doctors say that to prevent these spots, a good sunscreen can go a long way. In addition, it also helps protect us against the appearance of skin cancer or slows down the development of wrinkles.

Treatment of melasma with home remedies

You can do good natural treatments at home. Indeed, certain ingredients in your kitchen can help you remove these coffee-colored stains. These may have appeared on your face because you are pregnant, or you are taking birth control pills or menopause medication.

First you need to know that melasma develops due to increased production of melanin,  because it is she who is responsible for giving color to the skin.

Some people say that the disease affects darker skin tones more. Others say that white skin tones can also suffer from this problem. What is certain is that there are natural remedies to cure this unsightly problem.

Banana remedy

• Crush a banana and place it on the stained areas. Let sit for fifteen minutes. Repeat this action four times a week.

Eggplant remedy

• Cut an eggplant into several slices. Remove the pulp. Then prepare a poultice and place it on the face. Leave on for fifteen minutes and then remove with water. You can do this three times a week.

Black balm remedy

• Four or five drops are enough. They must then be added to egg white. Mix well and apply the remedy twice a day, in the morning and before going to bed.

Remedy with hydrogen peroxide

• Soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide. Then apply it on your face before going to bed.

An anti-melasma spot mask

• Mix two tablespoons of powdered milk, 4 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Then form a smooth paste. Spread it on the face and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then wash it off and then apply a layer of plain yogurt on your face. Let sit for 10 minutes and rinse to finish.

Onion and vinegar remedy

• Crush an onion and mix it with a little vinegar. Then apply this preparation on the stain and leave to act for fifteen minutes. If it burns or irritates you, wash it off immediately.

Advice on melasma

• Some people are predisposed to suffer from melasma; there may have been other episodes of the disease in the family. In these cases, additional precautions must be taken. Because indeed, it can be a hereditary disorder.
• Avoid the sun and wear sun protection, especially if you are going to the sea or to the mountains. But be careful, protect yourself also when you are in the city and the weather is nice. Try not to take birth control pills and do not take any hormone replacement therapy.
• You really have to be careful about what treatment you choose to get rid of melasma, even if it is a homemade treatment. Indeed, if the treatment is too abrasive or too strong, it will cause the opposite effect and may even worsen the situation.
• There is no definitive cure for melasma. However, one can reduce its appearance and the colors of the spots. But these can then return during the next pregnancy, or if we take birth control pills again or if we expose the skin to the sun every day.
• There are professional treatments to eliminate melasma. They then include microdermabrasion, chemical exfoliation and laser treatments. But be careful, this is only recommended in very serious or advanced cases!
• Treatment for melasma should include a  consultation with a dermatologist. Above all, don’t let the time pass. Because with the right treatment, the appearance of your face can improve in just a few weeks.

The biggest problem with melasma is aesthetics and physical appearance.  There are no symptoms that are painful or that could harm the body at all.