The cause is not fully understood although it occurs quite frequently in pregnancy, and in the majority of women the condition fades after the delivery. Some acquire it while taking oral contraceptives although it doesn’t always fade after discontinuation of these. All patients with melasma find that it is increased with increased exposure to UV light and this must indeed be the cause in males where oestrogen is not contributory.

There is pigmentation on the face. It can be symmetrical or patchy. It is light or dark brown depending on recent sun exposure. The Skin Nurse Nicola O’Byrne has been treating melasma very successfully for over 18 years.

At the Skin Nurse Clinic patient education is as important as the treatment plan and delivery. We like to take a multi – treatment approach. The first and most important objective is to identify if the hyperpigmentation (dark brown spots) is actually melasma. There may be another underlying reason for example sun damage or in some cases, skin cancer. A dermatology nurse will assess the skin and if required we will take a magnified picture with our ‘skin camera’ for assessment by Dr.Bedi our Consultant Dermatologist.

*DISCLAIMER Patient experience and results may vary. These are dependent on a number of factors such as lifestyle, age and medical history.