Using a Chemical Peel to Treat Melasma or Discoloured Patches on the Face
Updated: Apr 16, 2022
Melasma is a condition that millions around the world suffer from, causing discoloured patches on the face. If you’re concerned by this discoloration but don’t know how to treat it, you can find help at 1 Health Medical Centre.
Our experienced dermatologist specialises in a variety of minimally invasive melasma treatments that include chemical peels. The dermatologist will focus on reducing the discoloration on your face while also protecting the overall health of your skin.
What are the risk factors for melasma?
What types of chemical peels are available?
What causes melasma?
Melasma is a skin condition that results in bluish-gray or brown patches forming on your skin. Although the underlying cause behind melasma isn’t well understood, melanocytes (dysfunction in the cells) that produce skin pigments can contribute to the condition.
If you happen to spend time in the sun, especially unprotected, this may result in triggering melanocytes to produce excess pigments. This condition generally occurs in the following areas:
● Forehead
● Chin
● Forearms
● Neck
● Cheeks
● Bridge of your nose
● Upper lip
While both women and men can develop melasma discoloration, the condition is generally seen in women, particularly during pregnancy. For this reason, melasma is called the mask of pregnancy.
What are the risk factors for melasma?
Additionally to sun exposure, other factors that risk developing melasma include:
● Hormone imbalances
● Heat exposure
● Use of specific skin care products
● Having olive or dark-colored skin tones
● Use of hormonal birth control
While melasma doesn’t harm you, it can affect how you feel about the way you look or the appearance of your skin. If discoloration is something that you’re embarrassed about, our experienced dermatologists can evaluate your skin and determine which treatment suits best for you.
The dermatologist may recommend a chemical peel to deal with melasma symptoms if you can tolerate the procedure and your skin is otherwise healthy.
What are chemical peels?
Chemical peels are an effective and popular method for rejuvenating the skin’s texture, appearance, and tone.
1 Health Medical Centre offers several types of chemical peels depending on your skin type and its overall condition. Peels include applying chemical solution onto the surface of your skin. The solution removes layers of your skin to deal with melasma and other skin issues, like:
● Fine lines
● Age spots
● Wrinkles
● Sun damage
Chemical peels can also soften skin that feels rough, rejuvenate dull-looking skin, and improve uneven skin tones.
What types of chemical peels are available?
Depending on how severe your melasma and the other skin issues are, our dermatologist may recommend any of the following:
● Superficial peels
Superficial peels help in removing only the top layer of your skin to address rough-textured skin types and redness. These are the most widely used peels to treat melasma.
● Medium peels
Medium peels deal with skin discoloration, like age spots and melasma, by exfoliating the middle and top layers of your skin.
● Deep peels
By removing several layers of your skin, deep peels offer the most anti-aging benefits. This type of peel requires anaesthesia as it's the most invasive. You’ll need a few weeks of healing time before you start seeing results of a deep peel. These are usually not recommended for melasma.
After a comprehensive skin evaluation with the dermatologists we can determine the type of chemical peel that is best for treating your melasma.
When you present yourself to the world, your face is the first thing people observe. Therefore, it is crucial to know what goes into the products that are essential for maintaining your skin’s health. So if you’re considering a chemical peel as part of your skin-revitalising regimen, or you want to know more about how safe chemical peels actually are, it is advised to approach a professional. Head to 1 Health Medical Centre to learn more about chemical peels and other treatments available for melasma, or Call (+91 9562090606) today to schedule your skin consultation.