5 causes of face pigmentation

Melasma caused by disorders of skin pigmentation, causing black or brown skin spots. Melasma usually appears in areas exposed to sunlight such as cheeks, forehead, chin. These melasma often have uneven colors causing loss of aesthetics.

MSc.BS.CKI Tran Nguyen Anh Thu, Dermatology – Skin Aesthetics, Tam Anh General Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, said the main reasons below lead to disorders of skin pigmentation metabolism.

Hormonal changes: Hormone disorders, especially estrogen, causes pigment cells to enhance production and are transported to epidermal cells, increasing skin pigmentation. This condition is common in pregnant women, because the body changes strong hormones, estrogen and progesterone levels increase. Melasma may appear on the cheeks, forehead or around the mouth.

Sunlight: UV rays (UV) from the sun are one of the main causes of skin pigmentation. When older, the ability to recover the skin also decreases, the skin is vulnerable to exposure to sunlight and melasma.

Aging: The aging process of the body causes the natural collagen production speed to reduce, the skin loses elasticity and vulnerable to environmental agents. The body also increases the production of free radicals that damage skin cells, stimulate melanin production and cause melasma.

Hereditary: People with family members with melasma increases the risk of skin pigmentation when over 30 years old.

Lifestyle: Prolonged stress and unhealthy diet can also affect melanin production, leading to an increase in the risk of melasma formation.

Doctor Thu advises people with facial melasma to go to the Department of Dermatology – Skin Aesthetics to be examined and diagnosed with the exact cause and appropriate treatment. Besides topical and oral medications, Pico Laser is an effective solution to treat melasma. Laser light energy helps destroy melanin pigments into small particles. These particles are later identified by the body’s white blood cells as strange and excreted, fading melasma.

Another method is microscopic injection (mesotherapy) with active ingredients for melasma, every two weeks. Coordinate with other methods for higher treatment effectiveness.

According to Dr. Thu, melasma treatment is difficult and easy to relapse, so the patient needs to persevere in the long run, follow the instructions of the doctor according to the individualization regimen.