Pregnancy 101: What Is Melasma

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman’s life. Not only is it a time in which you are able to bond with your unborn baby but it is a beautiful time in which you can see your body undergo extreme changes that you may not have otherwise seen it go through. However, amidst all of the beauty that accompanies pregnancy, there are also some things that are deemed in the category of “not so fun” when it comes to pregnancy. Of those things, melasma or the “pregnancy mask” is one of them. Read on to learn more about melasma and how Skin & Laser Surgery Center can help treat it.

What is Melasma?

Melasma is a skin condition that affects pregnant women and causes dark patches across the forehead, cheeks, chin, and upper lip. Luckily, melasma is a condition that isn’t painful or irritating, but because it can affect your appearance it can cause women to become self-conscious when affected by it.

How is it caused?

Just like with most things during pregnancy— morning sickness and cravings included— melasma is a condition that is primarily caused by an excess amount of hormones shooting through your body. However, there is some indication that melasma can be exacerbated during pregnancy by the overexposure to UV rays caused by the sun. If you do spend a lot of time in the sun during your pregnancy, make sure that you are covering your skin up with a hat, clothing, and a lot of sunscreen.

How is it prevented?

Other than avoiding overexposure to the sun, there really is no clear preventative measures that you can take to prevent yourself from getting melasma. Because your body is being run by an abundance of hormones during your pregnancy, it’s best to just ride the wave and worry about it after baby is born.

What are treatment options?

Luckily, here at Skin & Laser Surgery Center we do offer our patients laser treatment to help get rid of melasma. By undergoing several laser treatments, our experts will be able to break up the pigmented area of your skin caused by the melasma and help you to look like your old self once again.

Schedule a consultation

If you have melasma and are pregnant, don’t worry, the experts at Skin & Laser Surgery Center can help you out. To learn more about laser treatment or to schedule an appointment, contact our office at (603) 886-5506 today! The Skin & Laser Surgery Center serves Nashua NH, Revere MA, and Chlemsford MA.