Melasma and Pigmentation: What Treatment Can and Cannot Do

Melasma shows up as brown or greyish patches, usually on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. It is common in Indian skin, more common in women, and often linked to sun exposure, pregnancy and hormonal medicines.

Why sun protection comes first

No cream, peel or laser holds its result without daily sun protection. Sunlight reactivates the pigment cells directly, which is why patches return quickly during summer or after outdoor travel.

What treatment involves

Prescription creams are the foundation. Gentle peels are added in suitable cases, and lasers are used carefully and only in selected patients, because the wrong setting can worsen pigmentation in darker skin.

What to expect

Improvement is measured in months, not weeks, and melasma is controlled rather than cured. Most people need a maintenance plan after the initial phase. Photographs at each visit help judge progress honestly, since day-to-day change is hard to see in the mirror.

Avoid quick-fix creams

Unlabelled fairness creams often contain steroids. They lighten skin briefly and then leave thinned skin, redness and worse pigmentation that is much harder to treat.