Melasma / Pigmentation In Dark Skin Types

• UVA rays are a stimulant for melanin (brown pigmentation) to develop on the skin and unfortunately can even penetrate through car window glass.
• Any change in hormonal status with higher levels of estrogen is thought to trigger and aggravate the condition (i.e. birth control pills and pregnancy). Discontinuing the use of contraceptives rarely clears the pigmentation and it may last for many years after discontinuation.
• After pregnancy Melasma (chloasma) or pigmentation usually clears within a few months of delivery but may persist indefinitely
• Any activities that cause Intense heat to the face( from steam showers, hot closed environments, sitting on the beach even under cover and with full sun protection, etc causes inflammation which is a powerful stimulator of melanin
• It is more prevalent in darker-complexioned individuals though persons of any race can be affected due to the intense sun exposure in South Africa.
• Melasma is seen most frequently in young women but can be seen in men.

• Centro Facial (forehead),
• Malar (cheekbones) and
• Mandibular (jawline).

• Avoid sun exposure and wear a protective hat when outdoors for extended periods to further block these rays.
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ to block the UVA rays every day to help prevent melasma.
• In addition, your sunscreen should also contain an anti-oxidant as this stops free radicals that cause pigmentation.
• At least 10ml of sunscreen should be applied daily to the face and neck twice a day to prevent melasma.
• Taking an oral antioxidant supplement such as Pycnogenol from the French Maritime Pine bark is clinically proven to raise one’s level of resistance to the sun and also helps to reduce the melanin content in the skin down the line.
• As melasma is a dynamic condition and needs to be managed daily and indefinitely. One day of unintentional sun burn can set you back.

Home therapies for Melasma in dark skin types:

We offer highly effective depigmentation topical creams: MesoBrite™ or MesoBrite Lite™

Pigmentation ranges by top cosmeceuticals house Neostrata is also available at all Skin Renewal branches.

In-house topical brightening agents have been specially developed for Skin Renewal. The Renewal Institute brand includes traditional brightening products such as Kojic, Arbutin, and Nicotinamide, amongst others. Topical anti-oxidants that protect against infra-red A, a newly discovered deep wavelength that causes accelerated ageing and pigmentation, are also available at Skin Renewal.

In-Office Therapies for Melasma in dark skin types:

At Skin Renewal, it's mandatory that one of the home brightening products mentioned above be used routinely for two weeks on the entire before any exfoliation treatment such as peels. A visit/consultation with one of our doctors who are experienced in treating skin of colour is mandatory before any procedure.

In-Office Treatments available at Skin Renewal include the full epidermal peel for PIH that is resistant to treatment with normal superficial AHA and BHA peels. Transdermal Mesotherapy with prescription Brightening products done straight after our peels improves the final result by removing deep dermal pigment. MesoBrite™ or MesoBrite Lite™ treatments, together with the home maintenance products, offer superior results for resistant pigmentation.

The epidermis renews itself every six weeks. By six months, any pigment from PIH is probably in the dermis. Traditional skin rejuvenation treatments such as superficial peels, microdermabrasion, and bleaching agents are not successful for pigment such as PIH that has leached into the dermis. That is when the use of certain lasers, such as the long-pulsed Nd Yag, becomes effective to safely treat darker skin, including skin type 6. The Laser Genesis procedure by Cutera gently heats the dermis, causing cavitation bubbles, which disrupt the unwanted dermal pigment, breaking it into smaller particles that are able to move upward to the epidermis, where it can be easily removed with exfoliation. The PDT Red Light with post-peel reduces inflammation and evens out skin tone.

Our Brightening Intravenous infusions with brightening anti-oxidants such as glutathione which work intracellularly to remove resistant pigment. An overall lighter and even skin tone can be expected.