Melasma in Texas & Louisiana

At Sanova Dermatology, we pride ourselves on delivering top-tier skin care through a combination of experience, education, and advanced technology. Our team of highly experienced physicians are dedicated to providing treatment for melasma. We have convenient locations across Texas, including Houston, Pflugerville, Austin, Bee Cave, and Dripping Springs. We also serve Louisiana with locations in Metairie, Old Metairie, Uptown New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Dark or discolored patches of facial skin are often the result of a condition known as melasma. These gray-brown areas usually appear on the forehead, cheeks, bridge of the nose, chin, and above the upper lip, but can show up anywhere your skin is exposed to the sun. When the melanocytes (cells within the skin) produce too much pigmentation, melasma occurs.

Cause

While the exact cause of melasma is unknown, it appears to be an interaction between hormones and the sun. We know that the sun is necessary for development of melasma, and sun exposure darkens these spots. Melasma is often triggered by hormonal changes, and is more common in women. It often first appears during or after pregnancy, when taking oral contraceptives, or at other times when a woman’s hormones fluctuate. However, it can crop up for no obvious reason, and men can suffer from melasma as well.