We are very glad to present our new section, The Expert´s Opinion, and proud to announce the collaboration to our blog of an internally recognized medical aesthetic expert, Dr. Víctor García-Guevara.
Dr. GarcÍa-Guevara has more than 25 years of experience in the dermatological and medical aesthetic fields and is specializing in skin hyperpigmentation and photoaging, among many other skin concerns. In this post, he explains how to get rid of those irregular and diffused brown patches, called melasma. They normally appear on face, more particularly on cheeks, forehead and upper lip.
TREATING MELASMA.
By Víctor García-Guevara, MD.
Melasma is an acquired chronic and relapsing hyperpigmentation which manifests in the form of light to dark brown skin patches. It mostly affects women with phototypes III, IV and V. This type of pigmentation develops slowly without causing inflammation. It alters the physical appearance of the patient and can lead to psycho-emotional and social problems.
To determine the prognosis of the treatment, is important to localize at which skin layer the pigment is placed. In this regard, melasma can be classified into three types: epidermal melasma shows increased melanin in all the epidermal layers and the prognosis is usually very good; dermal melasma presents several melanophages in the entire dermis and the recovery prospect is more reserved; finally, mixed melasma combines both circumstances.
The high frequency of this alteration, its repercussion on the life-quality of the patient, and the lack of a definitive treatment make of this alteration a true therapeutic challenge. It is important to inform the patient about the triggering and aggravating factors involved. Among all the different treatments that have been proposed, MELINE® product range is an excellent alternative that offers proven effective results. This therapeutic program is comprised of three stages: an exfoliating treatment for skin renewal, a topical treatment to keep hyperpigmentation under control, and photoprotection that is an essential step.
The in-office treatment consists of a combination of actions that boost cell turnover and a sustained depigmenting effect. First, MELINE® 00 Prep prepares the skin tissue by cell and intercellular balance to favor the penetration of the actives contained in the depigmenting mask. Then, the depigmenting mask, MELINE® 01 (specific for Caucasian or Ethnic skins), acts directly on the melanocyte and all the elements that can hyper-stimulate it. Moreover, it promotes epidermal cell turnover, which helps to remove pigmented cells, therefore contributing to even the skin tone. The main feature of this combination of products is that they have been designed to prevent post-Inflammatory hyperpigmentation. To complement the in-office treatment, the doctor can apply MELINE® ID by transdermal release. It completes a wonderful circuit of safe and integral activity that improves the appearance of hyperpigmentation and achieves effective and long-lasting results.
The topical treatment is based on the use of depigmenting agents that require to be used continually for some months to achieve optimal results. MELINE® 02 also offers specific products for the different skin phototypes (caucasian and ethnic). It combines different mechanisms of action: inhibition of tyrosinase activity, inhibition of melanin production, limitation of pigment deposition in the skin, control over inflammatory and oxidative activity, reduction of melanocyte-stimulating hormone, selective melanocyte toxicity, non-selective suppression of melanogenesis and reduction of epidermal melanin. Thanks to these mechanisms, the treatment achieves very effective results in a short time without producing cell toxicity or adverse effects.
Because ultraviolet radiation (UVA, UVB) and visible light have a significant effect on melasma conditions, using photoprotectors is a must. MELINE® line offers two BB Creams, Light and Medium, that minimize and block the damaging effects of solar radiation that can stimulate the melanocyte response and increase pigment deposition in the skin. Moreover, its formula combines various actives that reduce the activity of free radicals and help to re-establish the optimal conditions of the skin.
