Along with stretch marks and sleepless nights, melasma, or the mask of pregnancy, can be an unfortunate side effect of the hormonal changes that your body is subjected to during pregnancy.
The skin naturally produces melanin when the skin is exposed to the sun, and yet it is thought that increased production of the female hormones progesterone and oestrogen during pregnancy can stimulate this melanin production.
As a result, hyper pigmented patches can appear on the face; most commonly on the cheeks, forehead, nose and mouth. Depending on the extent of the patches, it can create a mask-like appearance.
While the melasma is not dangerous, it can be a source of embarrassment, and should be dealt with if it is a cause for concern. The patches may fade over time, although they will not necessarily disappear.
Make up can help to camouflage the problem, although pigmentation treatment can be very effective in reducing the appearance of the darker brown patches and evening out skin tone.
Both Intense Pulsed Light therapy and a combination of microdermabrasion and laser treatment can produce impressive results, allowing you to ditch the concealer and be confident about your skin.
