Postpartum melasma will go away on its own?

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1. What is melasma?

Melasma is a condition in which spots and patches of skin appear darker than the surrounding skin. This is one of the most common skin problems that postpartum mothers face. Melasma is common in women from 20 to 50 years old, in which melasma occurs in pregnant women and postpartum melasma is quite common.
The most common type of melasma is facial melasma. Pigmentation changes can occur on the face, lips, forehead, chin, and bridge of the nose. In addition, this phenomenon can also occur in different places on the body, especially the skin that is often exposed to the sun such as the skin of the arms or neck.

2. Causes of melasma after birth

According to research, up to 50% of women get melasma after giving birth and this condition can follow them for life if not treated appropriately. The cause of skin pigmentation comes from many different factors, such as:
Hormonal changes: after giving birth, women often have hormonal imbalances, at this time, a decrease in estrogen is the leading cause. The head causes melasma. In addition, over time, a woman's body also suffers from skin aging. melasma, tanned skin, freckles. Due to exposure to the sun: the sun can have an impact on women's skin, especially melanin - a pigment that determines and directly affects the color of the skin. When a pigmentation disorder occurs, it will cause melanin to accumulate in some fixed positions on the skin surface, making the skin uneven, dry and rough, and also appear many brown patches, age spots and melasma on the skin surface. Not paying attention to skin care: Most mothers after giving birth often do not take care of their skin as before. Mother gives up daily skin care steps due to too much time to take care of her baby, irregular schedule. Some others worry that the use of postpartum cosmetics may affect the milk flow, so they say no to the use of facial cleansers, scrubs, sunscreens....As a result, dull skin, dark spots, unsightly spots appear. Psychological effects: many people still do not know how psychological factors affect health problems and even skin problems. Excessive stress, prolonged stress, psychological pressure ... are also potential factors that cause beauty to fade, dull skin and promote the formation of melasma.

3. Will postpartum melasma go away on its own?

Melasma during pregnancy usually fades within a few months of giving birth when hormone levels return to normal and the body stops producing too much skin pigment or melanin.
Brown lines (linea nigra) as well as freckles or melasma will also gradually fade after you give birth.
However, dark spots can return if you are susceptible to this pigment change and start using birth control containing estrogen.

4. What to do to minimize postpartum pigmentation?

Melasma is not dangerous, but it makes you feel insecure. Here are some ways to help you minimize postpartum melasma:
Limit direct sun exposure
Avoiding the sun is one of the best ways to get your skin back to normal. often. Melasma continues to occur if you are exposed to sunlight without protection.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen (formula that protects against both UVA and UVB rays) with SPF 30 or higher every day, whether it's sunny or not. The American Academy of Dermatology warns that your skin is exposed to a significant amount of ultraviolet light year-round, even on cloudy days.

So even if you don't plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, apply sunscreen every day as part of your morning routine. Apply sunscreen about every two hours if you are outside.
Whenever you spend time outdoors, you should cover up and wear a hat with a brim as well as a shirt with long sleeves if hyperpigmentation occurs on your arms. Limit the time you spend in the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Be gentle with your skin
Use mild cleansers and face creams. Products that irritate your skin can make melasma problems worse.
Consider switching birth control methods.
Contraceptives that contain estrogen, such as birth control pills and IUDs, can cause melasma or make it worse for a small number of women.
You may consider choosing alternative birth control methods, such as an intrauterine device (IUD), contraceptive implant, progesterone injection (Depo-Provera) or a non-hormonal method, such as diaphragm.
If your melasma doesn't improve within a year, talk to your dermatologist about your treatment options. Your doctor may recommend a bleaching cream (such as hydroquinone), a topical medication containing tretinoin (such as Retin-A), or a combination of topical treatments.
In rare cases, a dermatologist may use a laser to try to lighten the areas affected by melasma.
Of course, if you're breastfeeding or planning to get pregnant soon, it's important to inform your doctor and always check before using any over-the-counter medications or treatments.

Make a reasonable diet
Women need to apply a reasonable and nutritious diet with lots of healthy vitamins, especially when raising children. This is also the time when you should take advantage of adding a glass of juice every day such as grape or carrot juice, which both brightens the skin from the inside and provides vitamins for the baby through breast milk. Besides, the mother needs to drink a lot of water to purify the toxins in the body and the skin becomes healthier.
Using skin care masks
Taking care of children is very hard, but not because of that, mothers forget the steps to take care of themselves. Every week, spend 15 to 20 minutes to apply masks from nature such as potatoes, turmeric, tomatoes, aloe... to help fade melasma significantly.
Treatment of melasma is a long process, so don't expect immediate results.
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Reference source: .babycenter.com