Melasma is one of the commonly occurring skin problems in which there is an appearance of discolored and dark patches on the skin surface. Melasma is also known as chloasma, a term which is more common for pregnant women. The skin problem of melasma occurs more often in women rather than in men but affects men too. Chloasma is also known as the “mask of pregnancy” in pregnant women. According to the dermatological research, almost 90 percent of cases of melasma patients constitute women, and a little percentage, which is 10 percent, consists of male melasma patients.
In the skin condition of melasma, there is the pigmentation of the skin surface on various body parts, and the skin appears to be dark brown or gray patches. The pigmentation and patches primarily appear on the face in most of the melasma patients. However, the common body areas for skin discoloration and pigmentation to appear to include the cheeks, forehead, and bridge of the nose, upper lip, neck, forearms, and shoulders. The areas of the body which face the most sunlight exposure are more prone to affect from melasma, and then there is the appearance of dark patches and spots on those areas.
While the skin condition of melasma does not cause any severe health problems, but it is very challenging for the people suffering from it. The appearance of dark patches on the skin surface affects the women severely and may cause depression in them, too, due to the unappealing appearance of the skin surface. The causative factors behind the appearance of dark and grey patches on the skin surface may be money, but the most prominent cause of melasma is the change in hormones. The emotional distress occurring from the unattractive appearance of the skin is the worst for women suffering from it.