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Content on this page:
Overview
Melasma is an acquired hyperpigmentary skin disorder
characterized by irregular light to dark brown macules occurring in the
sun-exposed areas of the face, neck and arms, as stated in the Introduction section.
The prevalence of melasma varies according to ethnicity,
sunlight intensity, and skin phototype. A detailed discussion about the
prevalence of melasma is in the Epidemiology
section.
The Pathophysiology section states that melasma involves various factors that
lead to enhanced melanin production.
Melasma_Disease SummaryThe Classification section lists the different types of melasma and describes their appearance under the Wood’s lamp exam.
History and Physical Examination
The Physical Examination section discusses classification of melasma
based on its clinical pattern on examination.
The Screening section features the Melasma Area and Severity
Index (MASI) or modified MASI (mMASI) in evaluating the severity of melasma.
Diagnosis
The importance of the Wood’s lamp exam in classifying
melasma is in the Laboratory Tests and
Ancillaries section.
Other diseases that should be ruled out in the diagnosis of
melasma are listed in the Differential
Diagnosis section.
Management
The Pharmacological
Therapy section discusses in
detail treatment options for melasma such as chemical peels, topical
corticosteroids, topical depigmenting agents, topical retinoids, systemic
agents, and other therapies.
The Nonpharmacological
section includes things to educate the patient about the
management of melasma. Lifestyle modifications such as sunscreens and
camouflage makeup are also discussed in this section.
The Surgery
section explains different modalities in the management of melasma, such as
cryosurgery, intense pulse light, laser therapy, light emitting diode,
microneedling and pulsed dye laser.
