Melasma: A Review about Pathophysiology and Treatment

Abstract

Melasma is a very common disease that is manifested by increased skin pigmentation mostly in the face but also in the décolleté, neck, and arms. It is presented as irregular, light to dark brown spots, placed on the forehead. Cheek bones, mandible, and supralabial region. It usually affects women in higher phototypes (III−V), more commonly at a rate of nine women: one man. Melasma is a multifactorial disease, and we know that some conditions, such as pregnancy, contraceptives, thyroid diseases, hormone replacement, and solar exposure, could be a trigger to develop this illness. Despite not being a serious condition, melasma causes discomfort for those who have it, and it could compromise the patient's quality of life. The goal of this chapter is to understand the pathogenic mechanism of melasma as well as revise the treatments of this disorder.