What's my melasma telling me?

If you’re a person who experiences melasma, you might be tempted to view the dark patches on your skin as a nuisance – especially if they cover a lot of your face, or are significantly darker than the rest of your complexion.

But – and hear me out, because this might sound a little odd at first – what if your melasma is actually an opportunity?

While melasma can be triggered by heat and sunlight on the skin, it’s often not responsive to skin-surface treatments like bleaching creams and peels. This indicates that the reason for the appearance of melasma isn’t just skin deep, which makes sense when you consider that it’s caused by the overproduction of melanin by cells called melanocytes that are located in the deepest layer of the epidermis. It might be genetics, or a hormonal imbalance, or inflammation caused by something in your diet your body isn’t a fan of. No matter what the reason, it’s probably something that can’t be addressed with topical creams alone.

If you’ve tried a bunch of methods of reducing the appearance of your melasma and you’re getting frustrated, consider reframing the experience: Your body is trying to send you a message, but it’s in code and it’s your job to decipher it.

That is what I meant when I said your melasma is an opportunity – to get to know your body better, to parse out its likes and dislikes, and to learn how to care for it so that you can live your best healthy, vibrant life!

But how do you start figuring out what your body’s signaling? Your melasma patches aren’t exactly a decoder chart. If you’re not the only person in your family with melasma, a good place to start might be talking to the other person or people who have experienced hyperpigmentation to see what insights they might be able to offer. Maybe the commonality is obvious, like pregnancy, or maybe your relative has learned that they’re intolerant to certain foods and their melasma fades when they’re careful to avoid eating those foods.

You might find that the answer isn’t so easily forthcoming, in your case – maybe your relative doesn’t know what caused their melasma either – but here’s another opportunity! Comparing your habits and diets will not can help you identify potential causes and give you some ideas for changing your lifestyle if lessening the appearance of your melasma is the goal.

If the family tree research was inconclusive, or you don’t know of anyone else in your family who has or has had melasma, a good next step in your investigation is to look into your hormone levels. Did you start or change birth control methods or doses recently? If you’re using hormonal contraceptives that are designed to shift your estrogen level, it’s unlikely that anything else you might try to restore hormonal balance will be effective. You can wait to see if your body adjusts to a new set point, or consider non-hormonal birth control options like a copper IUD or vaginal gel.

Hormonal birth control isn’t the only cause of hormone imbalances, so if that’s not applicable to you but you’ve been noticing changes in your sleep patterns and digestion, or experiencing heavy stress for a long period of time, there’s a good chance something’s gotten out of whack. Stress elevates cortisol, and elevated cortisol levels can have a negative impact throughout the body. If getting more sleep and incorporating some physical activity don’t resolve the changes you’ve noticed, it might be a good idea to get a blood test so you have a better picture of what’s going on in your body.

To say that inflammation is a common cause of melasma is a true statement, but not a very helpful one. Inflammation can itself be caused by a wide variety of factors and narrowing down the one(s) that apply to you can feel like taking shots in the dark. If no potential culprits immediately come to mind, evaluating your diet is a solid place to start looking for them. Foods and beverages that commonly cause inflammation in the body include refined sugar and corn syrup, trans fats, vegetable and seed oils, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, and processed meat. Eating pretty clean and not sure where inflammation might be sneaking in? Pay close attention to ingredient lists and try tracking your food intake for a week. What you learn might surprise you.

One thing to remember as you embark on your mission is that your melasma might not have a single root cause. You probably won’t identify the reason(s) your melanocytes are producing excess pigment in a day, or even a week. We know you want to solve the puzzle but the process of figuring it out can be hugely beneficial if you take the time to observe your body’s responses to different stimuli and how your habits affect how you feel. There’s a whole lot more to be gained than just the reduced appearance of melasma – you might emerge from your quest as an all-around healthier, happier version of yourself!

Sources: 

https://www.glam.com/beauty/how-to-cure-melasma-from-the-inside-out/

https://www.lovoirbeauty.com/the-beauty-blog/how-to-cure-melasma-from-the-inside/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/unmasking-the-causes-and-treatments-of-melasma

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-cause-inflammation