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Why Women Are More Likely to Experience Melasma

You routinely experience dark, brown patches of skin that usually occur on your face. Does this sound all too familiar? If you answered yes, you may have melasma — a common skin disorder that affects more than five million people in the United States.Although e men can still get melasma, 90% of cases are found in women. Dontage, located in Falls Church, Virginia, is here to explain why women experience melasma more frequently and what you can do to help improve it.

Their Hormones Are in Flux

Throughout a woman’s life, her hormones are in flux. Whether going through puberty, changing birth control pills, or being pregnant, your estrogen levels can spike. Increased levels of estrogen are directly linked to heightened skin pigmentation, which may cause melasma.

Roughly 50-70% of pregnant women experience melasma, which is dubbed chloasma, meaning “the mask of pregnancy.” Chloasma may appear in expecting mothers during any trimester, but the dark patches usually fade after they’ve given birth or start breastfeeding.

More Likely to Suntan

Do you love sunny, beach days? Women love to bronze and spend the day basking in the summer heat. Females are more likely to tan, whether outside or in a tanning bed, which contributes to the formation of melasma.

The sun’s ultraviolet rays trigger melanocytes, the melanin-forming cells in your skin. This is why you may notice your melasma worsens in the summer. Even a small tanning session can cause your melasma to come back.

Don’t forget to take the SPF to the beach. Since women are more likely to suntan, studies suggest they are also more likely to experience sun damage.

Products Can Make It Worse

Washing your face and applying make-up are two habits women are more likely to have than men. Though this is good in theory, if you aren’t using the right products, you could cause your melasma to flare up. Skin irritants that are found in many soaps, fragrances, and cosmetics often act as a melasma trigger.

Always opt for gentle, fragrance-free options, and stop using any products that cause poor skin changes. Keep a diary of products that cause your melasma to worsen, and stay away from any that contain similar ingredients.

Improve Melasma With a Chemical Peel

Melasma is a chronic skin condition that isn’t curable. Many people living with melasma find that it often goes away on its own with time. But you may wish to address it sooner, so you can feel confident and happy in the skin you’re in.

Undergoing a chemical peel is a safe way to help lessen the appearance of melasma while getting radiant, smooth skin. Chemical peels apply an acid-based solution to your face to encourage your skin to peel, revealing the softer, undamaged layer beneath.

Our chemical peels range from a mild, superficial peel that addresses light skin discoloration to a deep peel that drastically improves scars and age spots. In addition to improving melasma, chemical peels address: