Melasma in Pakistan: Why Women Get It and How to Treat It (Complete Guide)
One common skin concern in Pakistan is Melasma. You may have seemingly normal skin with no acne, irritation, or dark spots throughout your youth. But, once you cross your thirties, you get stubborn symmetrical brown and greyish spots on your cheeks, forehead, and upper lip. Skin experts name this symmetrical hyperpigmentation as melasma. A vast majority of Pakistani women go through this, completely unaware of why this happens and what to do to treat it.
The good news is that melasma in Pakistan is treatable with the right approach and ingredients in a skincare routine. Wisdom Pharma is a leading Pakistani skincare brand with a range of brightening products to treat melasma and other pigmentation issues. But, before recommending the best brightening cream for melasma, we will walk you through common causes of melasma in women, and how to treat it generally.
Why Do Pakistani Women Get Melasma?
Before getting a solution, know your problem well. Pakistanis have a harsh climate, an inconsistent and unhealthy lifestyle, and genes that make skin highly prone to damage. This damage appears in the form of skin pigmentation, tanning, dullness, and stubborn dark spots. There are several causes of melasma, such as:
Intense UV Exposure
Among most countries in Asia, Pakistan receives the highest UV index levels in most parts of the country. Provinces like Punjab, Sindh, and KPK get intense UV exposure that can damage skin. But, as a skin's natural defense system, tyrosinase enzyme produces melanin to protect the skin from damage. Therefore, skin becomes dull, uneven, and dark spots appear. At a later age, the accumulated UV damage appears in the form of melasma.
Hormonal Changes
Melasma is highly triggered by hormonal fluctuations. With little to no knowledge about hormonal health in Pakistan, many Pakistani women face problems like melasma, which they often ignore. Hormonal fluctuations like thyroid conditions, high cortisol, pregnancy, contraceptives, menopause, etc, cause butterfly pattern pigmentation, known as melasma.
Genetic Predisposition
Genes play a major role in melasma formation. Those who have a genetic predisposition form it at any stage in life, despite every effort to prevent it. Genetically induced melasma is hard to treat but not impossible. So, if your mother or grandmother had melasma, you will also probably have it in the future. Therefore, take the right approach to treat it before it becomes stubborn.
How to Get Rid of Melasma Spots on Face?
There are several ways you can prevent and get rid of melasma on your face. It is among the hard-to-treat segment of hyperpigmentation. However, you can get rid of it by focusing on the triggers and avoiding them.
Sun and Heat Protection
Sunlight and Intense UV exposure are the main triggers of melasma, which causes skin to darken due to excessive melanin production. Thus, you should avoid going out in the sun exposure unnecessarily. Or if you have to go out or even if you stay indoors, cover your skin with a layer of SPF 40+. Furthermore, you can also wear tinted sunscreen to give your skin a break from comedogenic makeup and iron oxide in tinted sunblocks, which block UV rays that can worsen hyperpigmentation. Thus, use sun protection as an uncompromised part of your skincare routine.
Targeted Topical Treatment
Once these spots start appearing, you should get a brightening topical formula in your skincare routine. These topical treatments help in reducing melanin production and increasing cell turnover to prevent new pigmentation from forming and correcting the existing one. So, you must look for brightening skincare products that contain ingredients like Vitamin C, kojic acid, alpha arbutin, and glutathione. For melasma, Wisdom Pharma has a specially formulated, effective brightening cream named Cute-E Cream. It is a specialized formula to brighten stubborn dark spots and give clear skin. It contains safe and proven ingredients, without steroids or mercury, that get rid of dark spots from deep layers of skin.
Hormonal Balance
The most important way to get rid of melasma is to balance your hormones. If you feel your hyperpigmentation is worsening due to oral contraceptives, during your menopause, pregnancy, or other hormonal issues, you should go to your gynaecologist. They will assess your hormonal health to find out any issues that might be causing melasma. It will not only give you clearer skin but also prevent the worsening of any underlying hormonal health issues.
Lifestyle Changes and Diet
Lifestyle and diet play a vital role in how your skin looks and feels. So, turn to a clean diet that excludes junk food, excessive dairy, sugary, or bakery items. Focus on your diet, eat antioxidant foods, limit your sun exposure, and do stress management therapies to boost clear skin. These habits reduce excessive melanin production, which clears skin gradually.
What Not to Do to Get Rid of Melasma?
Melasma on the face is a serious pigmentation issue that takes a longer time to treat. To get instant results, people make mistakes that worsen skin over time. In Pakistan, women usually avoid it or make the skincare mistakes that make their skin worse over time. Here are a few things you should not do to treat melasma:
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Use harmful steroids or mercury-filled creams that claim instant whitening
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Going out without sun protection
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Skipping sunscreen while staying indoors
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Ignoring their hormonal health
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Harsh skincare like overexfoliation, scrubbing, intense chemical peels, lasers, waxing, or the all-Pakistan famous bleaching
FAQs on Melasma
How to remove melasma quickly?
The quickest way to remove melasma on the face is to get clinic treatments that include lasers or chemical peels. However, the spots come back until you target the main triggers and heal your skin from within. So, choose a gradual approach that includes brightening cream, sun protection, a healthy lifestyle, and hormonal balance treatment.
Which Pakistani cream is best for pigmentation?
Cute-e cream by Wisdom Pharma is the best brightening cream for melasma and dark spots in Pakistan. It has Kojic acid, Alpha Arbutin, and Vitamin C that give antioxidant protection and preventive care for melasma. For comedone-prone skin, use it as a spot treatment.
How do you get rid of melasma on your face?
To get rid of melasma on the face, use safe brightening skincare products that gradually inhibit melanin production and induce cell turnover. To see visible differences, stay consistent to see visible results, and stay away from any products that claim instant whitening, as they may worsen skin due to mercury or steroids.
What causes melasma in the face?
Melasma appears as symmetrical hyperpigmentation on the cheeks, forehead, or upper lip. It appears due to accumulated UV damage, hormonal changes, or genetics.
The Bottom Line
Melasma is common in Pakistan due to several reasons in women. The main causes are UV exposure, hormonal changes, genetics, and unhealthy or harsh skincare. By knowing these triggers, you may control and prevent new formations.
To get rid of the melasma on your face, you should adopt consistent habits. Use sunscreen every time you go out. Get trusted brightening creams or serums that work gradually, and consult with a dermatologist if the condition worsens. Focus on your diet by eating antioxidants that protect skin from damage and inflammation.
Trust WISdom Pharma that supports your skincare journey with dermatologist-recommended, authentic, and safe formulated products for Pakistani skin type. Explore Cute-E cream and other brightening creams on the site to order what suits you.
