Could That Spot Be Melasma? 5 Points to Help You Tell the Difference
“I’ve been getting so many spots lately…”
They started becoming noticeable once I passed my 30s
I never had spots before pregnancy…
Even though I take spot-prevention measures, I still have noticeable spots over a wide area
During consultations, we often come across cases where “what I thought was an ordinary spot turned out to be melasma!” Especially among women in their late 30s to 50s, it’s common to see a mix of ordinary spots and melasma.
Could the spots on your face actually be melasma? So what exactly is melasma, and how is it different from an ordinary spot?
“Spots” actually include several different types, and melasma is one type of spot.
Solar Lentigines (Age Spots)
Characteristics: Round, brownish spots that tend to gradually darken over time.
Common age range: 30s to 50s.
Common areas: Cheeks, temples, back of the hands, arms, etc.
Main cause: UV exposure and aging.
Freckles
Characteristics: Small, scattered spots. They may darken in summer and lighten in winter.
Common age range: Childhood through adolescence.
Common areas: Cheeks, nose, arms, etc.
Main cause: Genetics and UV exposure.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Characteristics: Uneven coloring with blurred edges.
Common age range: All ages.
Common areas: Anywhere on the body.
Main cause: Scars, burn marks, acne scars, rash marks, etc.
ADM (Acquired Dermal Melanocytosis)
Characteristics: Gray or bluish-brown spots about the size of a grain of rice.
Common age range: 20s.
Common areas: Forehead.
Main cause: Unknown.
Seborrheic Keratosis
Characteristics: Dark brown, wart-like growths. Can appear on the face, scalp, hands, and feet.
Common age range: 40s to 60s.
Common areas: Scalp, hands and feet.
Main cause: UV exposure and aging.
And now,
Melasma:
5 Signs That Spot Might Be Melasma
- Melasma appears as light brown pigmented patches that are symmetrical on both sides of the face.
- In most cases, the patches appear from the cheeks to the forehead, avoiding the area around the eyes.
- It can sometimes appear on only one side of the face, but it is not accompanied by itching or pain.
- Compared to ordinary spots, the edges are not well-defined, and it spreads in a hazy, diffuse shape.
- It wasn’t present before pregnancy but appeared afterward.
Characteristics: Light brown to brownish spots that appear symmetrically on the cheekbones, around the mouth, and on the forehead. Does not appear on the eyelids.
Common age range: 30s to 40s.
Areas: Cheeks, temples, forehead.
Cause: Influenced by fluctuations in female hormones.
- It tends to occur with changes in female hormone balance, such as pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, or hormone replacement therapy.
- Medications that make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, as well as autoimmune thyroid disease, are also thought to increase the risk of melasma.
That’s because melasma can also occur together with other types of spots, such as solar lentigines, and it’s said to be difficult to tell apart from appearance alone without an expert diagnosis. Deciding on your own that “this is just a regular spot” and treating it with self-care will not improve it.
So what happens if melasma is left untreated?
Melasma can worsen with age. Because it is particularly influenced by changes in female hormones, hormonal fluctuations during menopause or pregnancy can affect its progression.
Cumulative UV exposure over the years can also worsen the pigmentation of melasma.
Pigmentation can also increase with age.
Sun exposure and changes in hormone balance can cause melasma to darken.
Melasma varies from person to person, and both the speed of progression and the degree of change differ by individual.
Since an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are needed, we recommend that anyone who is concerned or struggling with this schedule a consultation as soon as possible!
