
Melasma is a common skin condition which causes brown or grayish-brown areas on your skin, most often on the face.
Incidence: Common
○ Occurs in 50-80% of pregnant women and 33% of those will have it lifelong.
○ Treatable by a medical professional
○ Usually self-diagnosable
○ Lab tests or imaging not required
○ Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
People see melasma on their cheeks, forehead, on the bridge of their nose, lower chin, and/or above their lip. It has been known to appear on other parts of the body that tend to get sun. Melasma may fade on its own after pregnancy or after an affected woman goes off birth control pills but any sun exposure will tend to bring it back again.