{"id":992,"date":"2025-06-04T12:36:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T03:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yamate.clinic\/en\/20240610\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T10:42:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:42:17","slug":"20240610","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yamate.clinic\/en\/20240610\/","title":{"rendered":"Could That Spot Be Melasma? 5 Points to Help You Tell the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“I’ve been getting so many spots lately…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They started becoming noticeable once I passed my 30s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never had spots before pregnancy…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though I take spot-prevention measures, I still have noticeable spots over a wide area<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could the spots on your face actually be melasma? So what exactly is melasma, and how is it different from an ordinary spot?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Spots” actually include several different types, and melasma is one type of spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar Lentigines (Age Spots)<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong>: Round, brownish spots that tend to gradually darken over time.
Common age range<\/strong>: 30s to 50s.
Common areas<\/strong>: Cheeks, temples, back of the hands, arms, etc.
Main cause<\/strong>: UV exposure and aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freckles<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong>: Small, scattered spots. They may darken in summer and lighten in winter.
Common age range<\/strong>: Childhood through adolescence.
Common areas<\/strong>: Cheeks, nose, arms, etc.
Main cause<\/strong>: Genetics and UV exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong>: Uneven coloring with blurred edges.
Common age range<\/strong>: All ages.
Common areas<\/strong>: Anywhere on the body.
Main cause<\/strong>: Scars, burn marks, acne scars, rash marks, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADM (Acquired Dermal Melanocytosis)<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong>: Gray or bluish-brown spots about the size of a grain of rice.
Common age range<\/strong>: 20s.
Common areas<\/strong>: Forehead.
Main cause<\/strong>: Unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seborrheic Keratosis<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong>: Dark brown, wart-like growths. Can appear on the face, scalp, hands, and feet.
Common age range<\/strong>: 40s to 60s.
Common areas<\/strong>: Scalp, hands and feet.
Main cause<\/strong>: UV exposure and aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Melasma\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

And now,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melasma:
5 Signs That Spot Might Be Melasma<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Melasma appears as light brown pigmented patches that are symmetrical on both sides of the face.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In most cases, the patches appear from the cheeks to the forehead, avoiding the area around the eyes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. It can sometimes appear on only one side of the face, but it is not accompanied by itching or pain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Compared to ordinary spots, the edges are not well-defined, and it spreads in a hazy, diffuse shape.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. It wasn’t present before pregnancy but appeared afterward.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Characteristics<\/strong>: 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<\/strong>: Cheeks, temples, forehead.
    Cause<\/strong>: Influenced by fluctuations in female hormones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n