Any Great Treatments for Melasma (Blotchy Patches) on Face?

Go see a Dr. My dermatologist is one of the best in the country and well worth the drive to downtown Baylor in Dallas. He is Dr. Allen Menter.

www.texasderm.com

My native American heritage is what causes occasional spots on my cheeks. Pregnancy and hormones triggered it. He has cremes that help lighten it. Triluma is one I use. I also use heavy duty Clinique sunscreen daily.

Progress is positive and you can beat it, it just takes a little more effort.

Good luck.

Go see a dermatologist. I use Triluma to lighten the color.

N.,

Check out this great new product from Arbonne International - Revelage - a treatment line specifically formulated to target skin discolorations, age spots, freckles, brighten & illuminate skin. You can go to www.TerriEbbinghouse.MyArbonne.com to check out this product line and purchase your product. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Good luck!
T.

I suffer the same and will be starting monthly checmical peel treatments at my dermo's office (per his advice - Dr. Adler at Park Cities Dermatology) next Friday. I am also using a bleaching cream with Retin-A and Hydroquinone (sp?). I have heard from others that have had great results from the peels - and best news of all is that many insurance co's (including mine) cover the peels for a co-pay if it's for the treatment of melasma! Good luck.

I know that I am dark complected and after the birth of all three of my children I had what the Dr. called and others a racoon mask. It is from hormones after the birth of children. He did not suggest I take anything and I did not. Eventually it went away, but after a few years. It was mainly on my forehead and cheekbones. The sun did make it worse, but was easily covered with my normal make-up.

I have this, too, and have done a ton of research on melasma. What I have found is that pretty much the only "cure" is hydroquinone -- one of the active ingredients in Triluma cream (the other being Retin-A). The concentration of hydroquinone in Triluma is 4%, which is why it is by prescription. You can get many over-the-counter products containing hydroquinone, but it is only a 2% concentration -- which still works but takes much longer, so even though the OTC creams are less expensive (well, some of them, anyway, not Obagi!)they don't really end up being less expensive in the long run. (Either one is very gradual and must be applied consciensciously.) Once you start using Triluma, you will notice the brown patches fading very gradually, and you must keep up with it, because once you stop (and ESPECIALLY if you get any sun on them at all) they will come back. According to my dermatologist and everything I have read, you have got to be very, very diligent about wearing sunscreen on those areas (and reapplying several times during the day) or you are basically wasting your money on the cream. I have never found any literature that tells of a way to get rid of them permanently -- I'm not sure why lasers don't work on these like they do on other pigmented spots. I have also not found anything that mentions whether the spots will fade when we're older and our hormones are no longer going wild! I sure wish someone would come up with a facial treatment or laser that worked, because I'd definitely pay for it. However, one bonus side effect of the Triluma is that the Retin-A part of it is really good for the look of your skin -- so while you're fading the spots, you're also improving wrinkles and skin texture.

Good luck!

Oh, I hate getting old!

I went to the dermatologist and he gave me Differin Gel...It gets rid of those spots, and reduces fine lines. Also, you can wax, or use cream to get rid of the facial hair. (we all have it, those who say they don't...lie!)

Good Luck!

Vanishing cream!!!! AVON!! I had that during my pregnancy with my ( now 9 yr old) daughter. It is a hormone imbalance, and is also referred to as the Butterfly Face... looks like wings under the eyes ( on the cheeks) and on the lip. It made me feel very self concious and I tried a number of products until I found one that helps! It took a year - but it is completely gone now! If you can't wait that long (or have plenty of money)... ask your Dr - they can prescribe something. It is actually quite common.

Good Luck

I would like to know too, as I have the same problem on both cheeks. I am not interested in any bleaching treatments though.

A. C

N.,

Mine came on a few weeks after the birth of my daughter. I have it in the exact same places you mentioned PLUS on my forehead pretty bad. I hate it! I have tried everything from creams to lasers. All are only temporary and the melasma will worsen every time you get out in the sun. So, after 8 years with it and two different kinds of laser treatments later, I finally went to a dermatologist here in Frisco about 4 months ago (Frisco Dermatology) and asked them if there were and "cures." Answer, "no." Only treatments. They prescribed me liquid vitamin C and a strong sunscreen to apply in the morning before make up and hydroquinone (a bleaching cream)to apply all over my face each night. I pretty much have to stay on this to keep it as light as possible (and wear a great foundation), although it will never completely go away. It is about a 3 month treatment at about 100.00. I will say that the sunscreen goes far and I have barely used any of it so it will last me probably the entire year. The rest will need to be replenished shortly. Good Luck. Hope this helps.

I have had fabulous results with Shaklee Nutriwhite skin care. www.shaklee.net/basicsoflife

N.,

Most skin disorders come from within, I used to get blck patches in my cheeks, tried all kinds of ointment with no result. I found nutritional supplement I started to take for migraine headache and wich cleared the patches as well and never got it back. Let me know if you are interested and I will give you details.

I had the same thing happen to me last year when my son turned 5 1/2 mon due to the all the hormonal changes your body goes through. The sun seemed to have made it worst which didn't help since it was the beginning of summer last year. I used age spot & pigment lightening gel from the Murad line. You can buy it at Ulta or Sephora. I liked it so much I ended up switching all my facial products to Murads line.

Hormones and sun. I got that when I was on the pill. My friend got it while pregnant. I had six treatments of microdermabrasion and it is gone. Good luck.

Are you taking birth control pills? Many women get this when they do. You might talk with your Dr. and see if you can change to a pill with a different composition.