Monday, December 1, 2014

How To Treat Dark Spots On The Face

Dark or brown spots, eczema and acne on the face are hyperpigmentation on the skin known a Melasma. It's a common problem for women as it appears on the face in different shape and color.
There are several ways to prevent melasma and these can be possible with medical treatments prescribed by a dermatologist. Before listing outways to prevent dark spot from the face, it's better to know what causes Melasma.

 Here are some of the causes of dark spots on the face;
  1. Sun exposure: Ultraviolent rays of the sun UV : This is caused by sun exposure. Too much of sun exposure could damage the skin and lead to lots of skin diseases and one of them is Melasma.
  2. Scented soaps and deodorants: This is because of the chemicals used to produce the scent in them.
  3. Hormonal inbalance: This s especially common in women. Stop taking birth control pills, contraceptives as they can affect your hormone.
  4. Hypothyradism: This is caused by low level of thyroid hormone.

Here are some medical treatments and deprivations for facial dark spots:

  • Exfoliate: Exfoliate creams can remove dead cells from the skin to keep it smooth and fresh.
  • Fair cream: This is also known as bleaching cream which contains hydroxy acid to help uniform the skin color by clearing away the dark or brown spots on the face.
  • Hydroquinone cream: This cream can be found over the counter you can find it in lotions, gel or liquid contains 2% since it's not a prescribed cream. It helps to brighten the dark spots and even the the skin ( Doctors perscription is adviced for lightening creams).
  • Retinoids: It is a vitamin A prescription that is highly effective in reversing sun damage and signs of aging. Retinol encourages skin cell turnover. The  new skin is delicate and should not be exposed to the sun. It should be used as night cream and it is better to get a doctors prescription  as there are types of dark spots retinol can cure effectively than others.
  • Steroids: These creams are used to reduce skin inflammation caused by conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. This should be applied to affected areas to help slow down the regeneration process for skin cells. This leads to  reduction in the number and activity of pigment producing cells.
  • Use sunscreen: Before leaving the house, use sunscreen cream. Look for cream with SPF 30 and above, use 30minutes before leaving the house.
  • Sunglasses: Wear glasses wider enough to shade for eyes from the sun in addition to protecting the face.
  • Wear large hats to shades your face from the sun.
  • Stress less: Try to reduce stress and do some meditation to relax your mind.

The above mentioned treatments are better if prescriped by a dermatologist so, do visit one. 
As for pregnant women, it's better to avoid chemical substances and use facial concealer or corrector during pregnancy.



There are professional methods to get rid of melasma and theses includes;
-Microdermabrasion and dermabrasion.
-Chemical peel.
-Laser treatment
Talk to your dermatologist to talk about which is best for you.


There  3 types of  Melasma; Epidermal, Demal and mixed.

a) Epidermal: It has patches dark brown in color
                      Well defined border
                       It responds well to treatment

b) Demal: Most common type.
                It's borders are poorly defined
                It's light brown or bluish
                It responds poorly to treament

c) Mixed: It's bluish, light and dark brown
                It shows moderate improvement with treatment.

About melasma or dark spots, people with higher risks are;

  • People taned or with higher melanin production
  • People with natural darker skin
  • Family history
  • Women tend to have higher risk than men.

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