To treat melasma successfully, you must find out what triggers melasma in the first. If your skin develop melasma easily under the sun, then you should avoid the sun or wear a sunscreen. If it is due to your hormones, then find a way to keep them in balance. There are other things you can do for your melasma like using a dark spot corrector, get enough sleep and eat healthily.
Patience is a must when treating melasma. It takes time for melasma to respond to the treatment.
Whatever treatment you decide, make sure it is not harsh to the extent that it cause contact dermatitis, which eventually will lead to postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Retin-A (tretinoin) is applied topically on melasma. It can be harsh. Sometimes, you may end up with contact dermatitis.
Doctors still do not understand how Retin-A reduce melasma. Probably the best explanation goes like this. Retin-A is used for skin exfoliation to encourage new cells to be generated. This process removes dead skin cells which build up on the surface of the skin and hold excess melanin within them.
According to Skin Care Center, it may take up to 24 weeks to see improvements. Most often, Retin-A is used together with other tyrosinase inhibitors such as azelaic acid or hydroquinone for better results.
