MELANOSIS, WHAT IS THE CAUSE AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT?

If you’ve noticed some brown spots or gray patches are appearing in different parts of your face, you could be suffering from melanosis; nevertheless, there is no need to be worried because this condition will not affect your health; however, it has an unaesthetic appearance, that is why we want to show you what are the causes and symptoms of this condition, how to prevent it, and what is the best treatment.

Melanosis is considered a very common skin disorder, and usually, it affects anyone regardless their skin tone.

This disorder is associated with estrogen and progesterone and it is caused by several factors describe as follows:

⦁ Cosmetics: In the market, there are large amounts of cosmetics chemically produced, such as make-up, creams, among others. These can cause irritation on sensitive skin; It is necessary the awareness of your type of skin, and discard those products that might harm you.

⦁ Endocrine disorder Melanosis can be a manifestation of an endocrine disorder. Some hormonal changes in pregnant women are accelerators of this disorder; although, women in general are also likely to develop this condition.

⦁ The sun: It is beneficial when taken with caution; on the contrary, if we overexpose to sunlight, it activates the melanin in the skin causing stains on most frequently exposed areas. It is recommended to wear sunscreen at all time. Finally, stress is another factor that can cause or increase cases of melanosis.

Now that we have discussed the most common causes of melanosis, the following are detailed recommended treatments. Firstly, it is important to clarify that, in many cases, there is no treatment because the symptoms disappear on their own, as the stimulus ceases, the condition will also cease to exist. However, it is necessary to identify the causes with your dermatologist and check if it does not require further treatment.

For all other cases, the most common treatments are related to the hydroquinone application, which consist of a gel or cream, acting at night to lighten pigmentation; chemical peels which eliminates the surface layers of the pigmented skin; hormonal treatments for contraception, only applied if the cause of melanosis is a change in the hormonal cycle of women; and finally, laser sessions at low power. It is important to remember that you should consult your dermatologist before undergoing any of these treatments in order to avoid major diseases. There must be the approval of a specialist before applying any of these treatments!

To prevent melanosis, sunscreen protection is required and avoid irritating cosmetics. Do not let stains caused by melanosis overshadow your beauty! You have the tools to fight it!