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Melasma (caused by liver affecting thyroid)
Is it possible to have melasma (caused by liver affecting thyroid) and not have cirrhosis?Symptoms: Some fatigue, slight right side discomfort, tinea versicolor, melasma.
From the Cleveland Clinic:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21454-melasma
Melasma
Melasma is a skin condition characterized by brown or blue-gray patches or freckle-like spots. It’s often called the “mask of pregnancy.” Melasma happens because of overproduction of the cells that make the color of your skin. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help. Melasma usually fades after a few months.
What is melasma and what does it look like?
Melasma is a common skin disorder. Loosely translated, the word means “black spot.” If you have melasma you’re probably experiencing light brown, dark brown and/or blue-gray patches on your skin. They can appear as flat patches or freckle-like spots. Commonly affected areas include your face, including the cheeks, upper lip and forehead, as well as the forearms. Melasma is sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy” because it frequently affects pregnant women. Melasma typically darkens and lightens over time, often getting worse in the summer and better in the winter.
Another, less common name for melasma, is chloasma. Although this disorder is completely harmless, it understandably makes some people feel self-conscious.
Where does melasma most commonly occur?
Melasma appears most commonly on your cheeks, nose, chin, above the upper lip and the forehead. It sometimes affects your arms, neck and back. In fact, melasma can affect any part of your skin that is exposed to sunlight. That’s why most people with melasma notice that their symptoms worsen during the summer months.
How common is melasma?
Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. 15% to 50% of pregnant women get it. Between 1.5% and 33% of the population may get melasma and it happens more often during a woman’s reproductive years, and rarely happens during puberty. It usually starts between 20 and 40 years of age.
Who is at risk of melasma?
Fairer-skinned people are less likely to be affected by melasma than those with darker brown skin or those who tan well. Women are more likely to get melasma than men: about 10% of those who get melasma are men, 90% women. Pregnant women get melasma more often than anyone else. You’re also at risk if you take oral contraceptives and hormones.
What happens in the skin?
Your skin is made up of three layers. The outer layer is the epidermis, the middle is the dermis, and the deepest layer is the subcutis. It’s an organ – the largest organ – and it makes up about one-seventh of your body weight. Your skin is your barricade. It protects your bones, muscles, organs and everything else from the cold, from germs, sunshine, moisture, toxic substances, injury and more. It also helps regulate your body temperature, prevent hydration and feel sensations like the warmth of the stove, the fur on your dog’s belly and the pressure of someone else’s hand holding yours.
Your epidermis contains cells called melanocytes that store and produce a dark color (pigment) known as melanin. In response to light, heat, or ultraviolet radiation or by hormonal stimulation, the melanocytes produce more melanin, and that’s why your skin darkens.
Why do women get melasma when they’re pregnant?
Pregnant women have increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are thought to contribute to your melasma. The darker color usually fades after pregnancy.
What are the types of melasma?
There are three types of melasma and they have to do with the depth of the pigment. A Wood’s lamp that emits black light may be used to determine the depth of the pigment. The three types are:
Epidermal: Epidermal melasma has a dark brown color, a well-defined border, appears obvious under black light and sometimes responds well to treatment.
Dermal: Dermal melasma has a light brown or bluish color, a blurry border, appears no differently under black light and doesn’t respond well to treatment.
Mixed melasma: Mixed melasma, which is the most common of the three, has both bluish and brown patches, shows a mixed pattern under black light and shows some response to treatment.
Is melasma cancerous?
Melasma is not cancerous, a sign of cancer, or a skin condition that “turns into” cancer. However, there are skin cancers that may mimic melasma, so seeing your dermatologist is often recommended to confirm the correct diagnosis.
Is melasma permanent?
Melasma is a typically chronic disorder. This means that it’s long-lasting (three months or more). Some people have melasma for years or their entire lives. Other people may have melasma for just a short time, such as during pregnancy.
Is melasma painful?
Melasma is harmless. It’s not painful, itchy, or uncomfortable in any way.
What causes melasma?
There are two main causes of melasma: radiation, whether ultraviolet, visible light, or infrared (heat) light; and hormones.
Ultraviolet and infrared radiation from the sun are key in making melasma worse. Other possible causes of melasma include:
Antiseizure medications: Drugs that prevent you from having seizures may be a cause of melasma. An example of an antiseizure medication is Clobazam (Onfi®).
·Contraceptive therapy (birth control): Melasma has been observed in individuals who use oral contraceptive pills that contain estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen/Diethylstilbestrol: Diethylstilbestrol is a synthetic (man-made) form of the hormone estrogen. It’s often used in treatments for prostate cancer. Again, there’s a pattern between increased estrogen and melasma.
Genetics: About 33% to 50% of people with melasma have reported that someone else in the family has it. The majority of identical twins both have melasma.
Hypothyroidism: A condition where your thyroid is underactive.
LED Screens: Melasma may be caused by the LED lights from your television, laptop, cell phone and tablet.
Pregnancy: It is unclear why “the mask of pregnancy” happens to pregnant women. However, experts theorize that the increased levels of estrogen, progesterone and the melanocyte-stimulating hormones during the third trimester of pregnancy play a role.
Hormones: Hormones like estrogen and progesterone may play a role in some people. Postmenopausal women are sometimes given progesterone, and have been observed developing melasma. If you aren’t pregnant, you likely have elevated levels of estrogen receptors found in your melasma lesions.
Makeup (cosmetics): Some cosmetics can cause what’s called a phototoxic reaction.
Phototoxic drugs (medicines that make you sensitive to sunlight): These include some antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diuretics, retinoids, hypoglycaemics, antipsychotics, targeted therapies and some other drugs.
Skin care products: A product that irritates your skin in general will likely make your melasma worse.
Soaps: Some scented soaps are thought to cause or worse melasma.
Tanning beds: The UV light produced by tanning beds damages your skin just as bad as the UV light from the sun, and sometimes worse.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21454-melasma
Melasma
Melasma is a skin condition characterized by brown or blue-gray patches or freckle-like spots. It’s often called the “mask of pregnancy.” Melasma happens because of overproduction of the cells that make the color of your skin. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help. Melasma usually fades after a few months.
What is melasma and what does it look like?
Melasma is a common skin disorder. Loosely translated, the word means “black spot.” If you have melasma you’re probably experiencing light brown, dark brown and/or blue-gray patches on your skin. They can appear as flat patches or freckle-like spots. Commonly affected areas include your face, including the cheeks, upper lip and forehead, as well as the forearms. Melasma is sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy” because it frequently affects pregnant women. Melasma typically darkens and lightens over time, often getting worse in the summer and better in the winter.
Another, less common name for melasma, is chloasma. Although this disorder is completely harmless, it understandably makes some people feel self-conscious.
Where does melasma most commonly occur?
Melasma appears most commonly on your cheeks, nose, chin, above the upper lip and the forehead. It sometimes affects your arms, neck and back. In fact, melasma can affect any part of your skin that is exposed to sunlight. That’s why most people with melasma notice that their symptoms worsen during the summer months.
How common is melasma?
Melasma is a very common skin disorder, especially among pregnant women. 15% to 50% of pregnant women get it. Between 1.5% and 33% of the population may get melasma and it happens more often during a woman’s reproductive years, and rarely happens during puberty. It usually starts between 20 and 40 years of age.
Who is at risk of melasma?
Fairer-skinned people are less likely to be affected by melasma than those with darker brown skin or those who tan well. Women are more likely to get melasma than men: about 10% of those who get melasma are men, 90% women. Pregnant women get melasma more often than anyone else. You’re also at risk if you take oral contraceptives and hormones.
What happens in the skin?
Your skin is made up of three layers. The outer layer is the epidermis, the middle is the dermis, and the deepest layer is the subcutis. It’s an organ – the largest organ – and it makes up about one-seventh of your body weight. Your skin is your barricade. It protects your bones, muscles, organs and everything else from the cold, from germs, sunshine, moisture, toxic substances, injury and more. It also helps regulate your body temperature, prevent hydration and feel sensations like the warmth of the stove, the fur on your dog’s belly and the pressure of someone else’s hand holding yours.
Your epidermis contains cells called melanocytes that store and produce a dark color (pigment) known as melanin. In response to light, heat, or ultraviolet radiation or by hormonal stimulation, the melanocytes produce more melanin, and that’s why your skin darkens.
Why do women get melasma when they’re pregnant?
Pregnant women have increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are thought to contribute to your melasma. The darker color usually fades after pregnancy.
What are the types of melasma?
There are three types of melasma and they have to do with the depth of the pigment. A Wood’s lamp that emits black light may be used to determine the depth of the pigment. The three types are:
Epidermal: Epidermal melasma has a dark brown color, a well-defined border, appears obvious under black light and sometimes responds well to treatment.
Dermal: Dermal melasma has a light brown or bluish color, a blurry border, appears no differently under black light and doesn’t respond well to treatment.
Mixed melasma: Mixed melasma, which is the most common of the three, has both bluish and brown patches, shows a mixed pattern under black light and shows some response to treatment.
Is melasma cancerous?
Melasma is not cancerous, a sign of cancer, or a skin condition that “turns into” cancer. However, there are skin cancers that may mimic melasma, so seeing your dermatologist is often recommended to confirm the correct diagnosis.
Is melasma permanent?
Melasma is a typically chronic disorder. This means that it’s long-lasting (three months or more). Some people have melasma for years or their entire lives. Other people may have melasma for just a short time, such as during pregnancy.
Is melasma painful?
Melasma is harmless. It’s not painful, itchy, or uncomfortable in any way.
What causes melasma?
There are two main causes of melasma: radiation, whether ultraviolet, visible light, or infrared (heat) light; and hormones.
Ultraviolet and infrared radiation from the sun are key in making melasma worse. Other possible causes of melasma include:
Antiseizure medications: Drugs that prevent you from having seizures may be a cause of melasma. An example of an antiseizure medication is Clobazam (Onfi®).
·Contraceptive therapy (birth control): Melasma has been observed in individuals who use oral contraceptive pills that contain estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen/Diethylstilbestrol: Diethylstilbestrol is a synthetic (man-made) form of the hormone estrogen. It’s often used in treatments for prostate cancer. Again, there’s a pattern between increased estrogen and melasma.
Genetics: About 33% to 50% of people with melasma have reported that someone else in the family has it. The majority of identical twins both have melasma.
Hypothyroidism: A condition where your thyroid is underactive.
LED Screens: Melasma may be caused by the LED lights from your television, laptop, cell phone and tablet.
Pregnancy: It is unclear why “the mask of pregnancy” happens to pregnant women. However, experts theorize that the increased levels of estrogen, progesterone and the melanocyte-stimulating hormones during the third trimester of pregnancy play a role.
Hormones: Hormones like estrogen and progesterone may play a role in some people. Postmenopausal women are sometimes given progesterone, and have been observed developing melasma. If you aren’t pregnant, you likely have elevated levels of estrogen receptors found in your melasma lesions.
Makeup (cosmetics): Some cosmetics can cause what’s called a phototoxic reaction.
Phototoxic drugs (medicines that make you sensitive to sunlight): These include some antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diuretics, retinoids, hypoglycaemics, antipsychotics, targeted therapies and some other drugs.
Skin care products: A product that irritates your skin in general will likely make your melasma worse.
Soaps: Some scented soaps are thought to cause or worse melasma.
Tanning beds: The UV light produced by tanning beds damages your skin just as bad as the UV light from the sun, and sometimes worse.
A common fungal infection that causes small, discolored patches of skin.
Tinea versicolor is caused by an overgrowth of yeast on the skin. It most often affects teens and young adults. The condition isn't contagious.
Treatment consists of antifungals
Treatments such as antifungal creams, lotions, or shampoos are usually effective. However, skin discoloration may last for weeks to months.
This condition is not related to liver issues see your doctor for treatment.
Tinea versicolor is caused by an overgrowth of yeast on the skin. It most often affects teens and young adults. The condition isn't contagious.
Treatment consists of antifungals
Treatments such as antifungal creams, lotions, or shampoos are usually effective. However, skin discoloration may last for weeks to months.
This condition is not related to liver issues see your doctor for treatment.
Why do you feel you have liver cirrhosis? Have you been diagnosed by your doctor?
I found this
“What causes melasma? Sun exposure: Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun stimulates the melanocytes. A change in hormones: Pregnant women often get melasma. Skin care products: If a product irritates your skin, melasma can worsen.”
I found this
“What causes melasma? Sun exposure: Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun stimulates the melanocytes. A change in hormones: Pregnant women often get melasma. Skin care products: If a product irritates your skin, melasma can worsen.”
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