facial pigmentation

I would be most grateful for any advice regarding pigmentation on my face.  This started a couple of years ago when I was pregnant with my first child.  I am 31 yrs old and white.  This problem had gradually got worse but got really bad since my second pregnancy.  There is now a patch on my forehead of fragmented darker skin and also some smaller areas on my orbital rim and at the sides of my eyes.  I am fairly dark skinned and tan quite  well.  I have been guilty of using sunbeds in the past and also of being a bit of a sun worshipper!  Now however I use factor 50 on my face and only use self tanning agents. However even with this on if in the sun the areas still have got darker.  I am considering having IPL laser treatment for this, would you recommend this?  Is there anything else I can do as it is really getting me down.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

This may be a case of melasma .Melasma is "a skin condition presenting as brown patches on the face of adults. Both sides of the face are usually affected. The most common sites of involvement are the cheeks, bridge of nose, forehead, and upper lip."

Source:http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_melasma.html

They may revert spontaneously or they may persist for a long time. With regards to IPL, this may be able to help. However, this has not been proven to be very effective. Melasma is worsened by UV exposure so it is best to wear sunscreen each time you spend your time outdoors.

There is really no definite cure for melasma. Bleaching creams may be used but as much as possible, creams are avoided as they may only further irritate the skin. Check the URL above or more information.