That brown discoloration on my face is NOT in this fall!

Have you noticed a dark pigmentation around your cheeks, forehead, nose and/or upper lip? Maybe your face looks something like this:



Well ladies (and I say ladies here because 90% of the time this affects women!), this brown discoloration is called melasma and its very common around the cheeks, forehead and on the upper lip (making it look like you have a mustache!). When you get this while you're pregnant, melasma is also referred to as cholasma and is known as the "the mask of pregnancy".
If you haven't already noticed, the discoloration tends to be more profound on the sun-exposed areas of the face... this makes it pretty clear that the sun, and its UV radiation, play a big part in this discoloration process. Unfortunately we don't really know exactly why this happens, but we do know that it has something to do with our hormones, the sun, and maybe even the medications we take.

Melasma tends to worsen in sunlight and  may even get worse when you switch your birth control or when you become pregnant. Some girls first notice it once they start birth control pills or when they switch to a new brand. This is because melasma definitely has some kind of hormonal component. Sometimes it may be worth it to do some trial and error with your birth control to see if switching it up will help, but if this is somewhat annoying and frustrating for you, especially if you're happy with the current brand you're on, I would just stay put and try some alternatives.

The first thing I would absolutely do no matter what is ALWAYS wear sunscreen every. single. day. NO exception. If you do not wear sunscreen no matter you do with your melasma, it will come back. Sunscreen is not just for your weekend beach days, you should be wearing sunscreen every single day, especially if you have melasma. Make sure the sunscreen is broad-spectrum and covers for both UVA and UVB light. I recommend that it have at least an SPF of 30. I also like sunscreens that have zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide since they do a better job at reflecting the sunlight with less irritation.

The second thing I would do is make an appointment with a dermatologist to get a prescription for something called Tri-Luma. Tri-Luma is a cream that helps with melasma by lightening up the dark spots. It contains 3 important ingredients:
1. Hydroquinone - this is a "bleaching" cream and helps lighten the dark spots
2. Tretinoin - this is a retinoid that has some anti-aging properties and helps with acne
3. Hydrocortisone - this is a mild steroid that helps with redness, irritation, and inflammation
Just like anything in life, you have to try and be patient with this. The cream wont really make a big difference for at least 2 months if not longer.

The third thing I would try are facial peels. I recommend a salicylic and glycolic-acid peels. I have found that TCA peels really help as well. Microdermabration peels and deeper chemicals peels can help too, but then you run the risk of scarring and making the melasma worse in the long run.

Unfortunately there is no absolute cure for melasma, and it can be tough to treat and manage, all you can do is your best to try and lighten it and avoid the sun. But above all else, the most important thing to remember is to wear sunscreen and I'm not talking the sunscreen that's in your foundation... that is not enough. You need to be wearing real sunscreen with SPF 30. CeraVe makes really great sunscreens that are affordable and available at your local drug stores.
So even though darker colors are in for fall, we definitely don't want them on our face so slather on that 'screen girls!