Here at the Skin Nurse Clinic we treat a lot of melasma patients. It is a common skin condition for adults, mostly women, in which light to dark brown patchy pigmentation develops, usually on the face.
Although it can affect both genders secondary to excess ultraviolet irradiation, it is more common in women. It occurs in pregnancy and also can be caused or exacerbated by the oestrogen in the oral contraceptive pill.
Melasma is usually very noticeable during the summer months when the face can actually appear dirty and fades a lot during the winter months. It has no cancerous potential.