Preventing Melasma

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If you know that there is a family history of melasma, or you feel that you are at high risk of developing the condition for other reasons there are some things that you can do to prevent an outbreak. These things do not guarantee that you will not get melasma, but can greatly reduce the chances that you will.

Knowing the Risk Factors for Melasma

In order to reduce your chances of contracting melasma it is important that you know the factors that can make you more likely to have an outbreak. These risk factors include:

• Taking certain medications
• Taking hormone replacement medications
• Being on the contraceptive pill
• Pregnancy
• Prolonged exposure to the sun
• Having a poor diet
• Having a weakened immune system
• Having a family history of melasma.

Some of these factors are difficult to escape from however with others certain changes can greatly reduce the risk that you will get melasma.

Talking to Your Doctor

If you are concerned about your risk of contracting melasma, you should talk to your doctor, as they will be able to inform you of any changes that you can make to your medication or lifestyle.

If you are on medications that can cause melasma your doctor may be able to recommend alternatives that are less likely to cause it. You should always follow your doctor’s advice concerning medications and should never decide to stop taking a medication without speaking to your doctor about the implications of doing so.

If you are on the contraceptive pill, your doctor may be able to recommend other forms of contraceptive that have a reduced risk of causing melasma. Oral and patch contraceptives are more likely to cause melasma than other forms so you may wish to discuss the contraceptive injection, implant or a coil.

Lifestyle Changes

If you believe that you have a high chance of developing melasma, certain lifestyle changes could reduce your chances of doing so. For example, if your diet is deficient in some nutrients you are more likely to develop melasma. You can reduce this risk by improving your diet to ensure that your body is getting all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it requires to remain healthy.

This does not mean that you have to go on a diet or greatly reduce your food intake. Improving your diet means creating a healthy balance between the different food groups. For example, you should try to eat less saturated fat and increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that you eat. If you need help improving your diet, you should seek the advice of your doctor who may be able to recommend a healthy eating plan to you. Alternatively, you could speak to a dietician who will give you more personal advice about your diet.

Limiting Sun Exposure

Sun exposure is one of the biggest risk factors of developing melasma. If you are already predisposed to develop the condition, prolonged sun exposure can trigger an outbreak and worsen melasma where it has already occurred. An easy way to prevent this is to wear a high factor sun protection cream on your face. This will help to block out the harmful UV rays of the sun. You should also avoid exposing your skin to sunlight during the hottest time of day, which is in the early afternoon. By protecting your skin from sunlight, you can both prevent an outbreak of melasma, and help to lessen its severity if it occurs.

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