Malasma

[Rexy]

I've had 2 chemical peels and laser treatment for what I thought was pigmentation. May now be malasma. I'm Asian and have 2 patches one on each cheek.

It's affecting my self esteem and cover up by MAC doesn't cover it fully.

Can anyone help? Seeing a dermatologist soon on NHS.

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Well I know how you feel, I can't cover mine completely and hate how long it takes to try to cover it before I feel ok about being in public. I'm experimenting with mineral make up at the moment, Lily Lolo. The peepo corrector helps.

I have it very badly, forehead and cheeks mainly, went to an NHS dermatologist who said they can't do anything on the NHS as it is cosmetic. I do understand, it's not killing me etc. He recommended fraxel laser buy an experienced dermatologist if I was going to spend money on it, expensive and I haven't tried it. In the past I saw a private dermatologist and had retin a with an Obagi cream, it disappeared overnight, was amazing. Although I don't recommend it as it is now so much worse than it ever was, badly rebounded despite never going in the sun and being so careful.

I've bought a kit of Yavonae TCA peels of three different strengths to try at home, have tried 12% so far, not much peeling so going to try 25% next. Did your chemical peels and laser help at all? What kind of laser?

I have this problem too , worse after pregnancy and sun exposure.
I use Veil Cover Cream , it is a dermatologist recommended cover up foundation.
You can buy it online , they do a little skin match kit so that you can get the best shade for your skin tone.

I had a laser for pigmentation and even a tattoo removal one. The patches left but then returned. I didn't have nay problems both times that I was pregnant.

Dermatologist emailed my dr to say buy Hydroquinone cream online but I refused as I need a diagnosis. It can thin the skin. I'm so self conscious f the patches but there must be a way of getting rid of them surely?

in terms of pigmentation have you tried Vichy Dermablend, you can get a perscrition from a dermatologist or purchase it from a pharmacy. here's a link via Lisa Eldridge who is a brilliant make up artist www.lisaeldridge.com/video/12764/acneblemish-covering-make-up#.VSghShfIvVo
Dermablend will also cover tatoo's - so really worth exploring.

I guess no matter which method you use the problem is that it returns, you can get rid of it but it rebounds. I wonder how deep it goes and is there a point where you get to skin where the melanin is normal? Or is that 'cell' of skin damaged forever?

I regret the hydroquinone (had both as Kligmans formula that chemist mixes for you, and the Obagi cream partnered with the Retin A as I said before) and it is wow even after one day, but it comes back so much worse.

I'm not sure if the fraxel laser can help, but you need a series of them and I was looking at £1500. So I'm going to try some other things first, the TCA peels for now, then when I've finished having babies maybe fork out for laser.

My patches just darken when I'm pregnant, no new ones.

I have regular laser treatments and use a combination of products (hydroquinone cream, glycolic acid, retinol) to help keep it under control. Sun exposure makes it much worse so I am vigilant about sunscreen - I wear spf 50 daily and always wear a hat if going outside in the sun even for a few minutes. Since I started all of this the melasma has improved greatly and is almost imperceptible now.

Your dermatologist may be able to prescribe you Pigmanorm which is a combination of three things: hydroquinone, tretinoin and hydrocortisone. Some patients do find this helpful but it can bleach the skin so needs to be used carefully, usually a six week trial in the first instance. You need to wear SPF all year round and be very strict about protecting yourself from the sun. Unfortunately melasma is very difficult to treat but I would try those measures in the first instance.

Thanks I'm still awaiting my appt not surprisingly

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Anyone ?

I have had what I think is Melasma for over 8 years, it appeared during my first pregnancy. I have seen 4 different GP's at my surgery who have all had different opinions but I have not seen a dermatologist.

Does anyone know if it is possible to be referred to an NHS dermatologist or how much a private consultation would be?

Do Not use pigmanorm cream
I used it and it burnt my skin and now I have awful brown marks on my cheeks

Msmorgan my gp referred me to an Nhs dermatologist for my melasma they prescribed treatment which made the melasma lighter than it was

I have had melasma for the past 8 years and I haven’t found anything that works, I asked my gp to refer me to a dermatologist who prescribed me pigmanorm cream, however it didn’t work for me I had to stop using it as it burnt my skin pretty bad. I have came to the conclusion I will always have this and just make sure I always wear high protection suncream everyday, I use Estée Lauder double wear which is quite good for coverage, I know how hard it is to live with, I used to love sitting out in the sun, which is probably what caused mine, I now have to cover up just to go to the shop 😞

I have also suffered with this. Pregnancy hormones made mine much worse so after finishing having babies I paid to see a private dermatologist and after lots of research decided to try Obagi Nu-Derm. It was amazing stuff and my skin was fab in every way. I wear spf 50 every day, all year round, only one little area has come back so nowhere near as bad as it was before. My main problem now is marks left from blemishes, they take forever to fade! I would like to try hydroquinone/tretinoin again but can't afford to see a derm and buy it all again unfortunately.

I would personally recommend trying it if you can afford it, the results are worth it and you may be lucky like me and not have much come back again?

I have passed it hard.
You need to be clear in 1 thing: melasma has no cure.

You need to treat it with creams for life, and you will always have it, but the dark pigmentation area can be less and lighter the colour.

Winter is my best time, summer was my worst. Currently I have relaxed a bit and just let myself enjoy the summer with a an sunblock.

I stopped self medicating me, listening cosmetologists, lasers, etc and went to a dermatologist.

I had spend lost of money into silly creams that were not working; the dermatologist really knows and it worked, and even I would say was my cheaper idea.

In UK is ~ £400 an appoinment with a private dermatologist.
NHS doesn't cover estetical problems and is ok.
I have to say the dermatologist doctor was very aware of this cost and after 1 appoinment told me to come back in 1 year only if I felt I needed a different treatment, I mean if it was not working.

The costmetologist was happy with me going every month, and keept trying to sell me makeup to cover up.

I currently use Pigmanorm & Skinoren for the night; these are basically for peeling the skin.

Pigmanorm 5% is really good, it does a quite strong peeling, I do apply it of focused darker areas for 1 month period. Your skin peels like after sun burn, that is why you need to moisturise during the day. And you have to be careful and stop if the peeling is too much for you.
And Pigmanorm is produced in Germany, so german pharmacies sell it cheaper than UK you just need the prescription from the dermatologist.

Skinorem 20% (azelaic acid) is normally used for acne treatment. But it also does peeling, it is a softer peeling. I do apply it all over my face everynigh before going to sleep.

Sunblock & moisturising for the day.
Hat & sun glases to protct from the sun in summer.

In USA bought sunblock with PF factor 80% and 100% .. coopertone I have.

Currently I am worry about the consequences of not having sun (vitamin E) for the calcium and the bones, so I use shorts and t-shirts with short sleeves to capture the sun but not in my face during summer.

Buy creams and sunblocks abroad by internet is a good option.

Been to see a dermatologist on the NHS - such a lovely lady - and she recommended Pigmanorm saying that GPs don't prescribe it. I was going to buy it online but couldn't find anywhere... not even Germany (as it said you needed a prescription). (By the way, someone here said it's a German product. It's not actually, it's Swiss.)
Where did you guys get it from, please? Thank you.

Hello, did you get the Pigmanorm? If so, could you please tell me where. I have a prescription but don’t know where to get it. I’m in London, UK

If you have a prescription the pharmacist can order it in.

Dermatica can prescribe hydroquinone for £22 per month or a Tretonoin/ Hydro mix. I opted to try and fade my melasma with Tret only as was worried about the longer term effects of Hydro, but if my patches were really bad I would have used it. I’m super vigilant about SPF - a proper sunscreen not just a moisturiser then I top up with a spray spf over my makeup throughout the day.

Thank you. I ordered Pigmanorm from the pharmacy and it wasn’t cheap to say the least, but I’ve heard such positive things about it and really need something to work. Wish me luck.

Good luck!.

Sali Hughes has written about this. Vitamin c serum is also recommended. I have a patch and it seems to have helped. As well as reducing sun exposure.

Hi DN411
I am suffering from melasma too
how did get Pigmanorm cream? bc, I am trying to buy it too.
I have tried to order it from the pharmacy but they have told me that it is impossible without prescription
Al so, have you started to use it ? is it helping?