Does Estrogen Make Melasma Worse?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Does estrogen make melasma worse? Some studies have shown that the skin of people with melasma is more responsive to the hormone estrogen than the skin of people who don’t have melasma . The same is true for progesterone, another hormone common in oral contraceptives.

Can estrogen cause melasma?

Causes. Melasma is a common skin disorder. It most often appears in young women with brownish skin tone, but it can affect anyone. Melasma is often associated with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone .

What hormones make melasma worse?

“At all stages of women’s lives, hormones can be in flux. When it comes to melasma, research has found that elevated levels of estrogen, and to a lesser degree elevated progesterone levels , are associated with increased skin pigmentation.

Is estrogen good for melasma?

Does estrogen cause hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation occurs due to overproduction of melanin and estrogen and progesterone imbalances in the body .

What causes melasma to flare up?

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.

Why am I suddenly getting melasma?

Causes and risk factors of melasma

This means birth control pills, pregnancy, and hormone therapy can all trigger melasma . Stress and thyroid disease are also thought to be causes of melasma. Additionally, sun exposure can cause melasma because ultraviolet rays affect the cells that control pigment (melanocytes).

How do you get rid of hormonal melasma?

  1. Hydroquinone — a cream, lotion, gel, or liquid that you apply to the skin.
  2. Tretinoin and corticosteroids — prescription medications that can help lighten your skin.
  3. Azelaic or kojic acid — prescription medications that can help lighten the dark spots of melasma.

What are the symptoms of low estrogen?

  • Dry skin.
  • Tender breasts.
  • Weak or brittle bones.
  • Trouble concentrating.
  • Moodiness and irritability.
  • Vaginal dryness or atrophy.
  • Hot flashes and night sweats.
  • Irregular periods or no periods (amenorrhea).

How do you stop hormonal pigmentation?

Sun protection is the most important part of treatment since the pigment will continue to darken with exposure. Traditional methods used to remove melasma include chemical or acid peels, dermabrasion, bleaches, pulsed light and traditional laser treatments .

Does HRT make melasma worse?

Answer: Melasma is typically caused in women by exposure to estrogens. For this reason, any hormone replacement you are taking that contains estrogen can contribute , so I would refrain from using estrogens.

Which hormone is responsible for skin pigmentation?

Melanocytes in the basal epidermis control skin pigmentation through synthesis of melanin, a complex process thought to be primarily regulated by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH) (Figure 1—figure supplement 1A and B).

What deficiency causes melasma?

Vitamin B12 for Melasma

A severe deficiency of vitamin B12 is called pernicious anemia, a condition associated with hyperpigmentation of the skin – especially in patients with darker skin tones. For this reason, some people believe that a deficiency of vitamin B12 might cause melasma.

Does estrogen cause sun spots?

Melasma. Melasma is a cosmetic condition that occurs frequently in women in their second or third trimester of pregnancy. Too much sun exposure and when there is a hormonal imbalance of estrogen and progesterone will cause this .

What vitamins are good for melasma?

Conclusions: Full-face iontophoresis of vitamin C appears to be an effective short-term treatment for melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

What is the fastest way to cure melasma?

Doctors often use hydroquinone as the first line of treatment for melasma. Hydroquinone is available as a lotion, cream, or gel. It works by lightening the color of the skin patches. A person can apply the hydroquinone product directly to the patches of skin that are discolored or uneven.

What medications cause melasma?

Drugs such as steroids, cosmetics, and photosensitizing agents are known to cause melasma. We report here a case of an adult male with obsessive-compulsive disorder, receiving clomipramine, who developed melasma. Chemicals (cosmetics), steroids, and photosensitizing drugs may produce melasma.

Does melasma go away with menopause?

What is the best treatment for melasma 2020?

What can a dermatologist do for melasma?

Your dermatologist may prescribe one or more of the following: Hydroquinone : This is a common treatment for melasma. It is applied to the skin and works to even out the skin tone. Hydroquinone is no longer available in products that you can buy without a prescription.

How do you know if you have high estrogen levels?

Symptoms of high estrogen in women

swelling and tenderness in your breasts . fibrocystic lumps in your breasts. decreased sex drive. irregular menstrual periods.

Does hormonal pigmentation go away?

Most people who have hormonal skin pigmentation tend to have a more olive or dark complexion. While melasma doesn’t cause you any pain or discomfort, it can be distressing because it’s highly visible. Melasma can’t really be cured, but it can be treated so its effects are minimised .

What happens when you start taking estrogen?

What happens when estrogen level is high?

High estrogen levels can cause symptoms such as irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, fatigue, and fibroids in females . In males, they can cause breast tissue growth, difficulty getting or maintaining an erection, and infertility.

How can I raise my estrogen levels quickly?

  1. Soybeans. Soybeans and the products produced from them, such as tofu and miso, are a great source of phytoestrogens . ...
  2. Flax seeds. Flax seeds also contain high amounts of phytoestrogens. ...
  3. Sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are another dietary source of phytoestrogens.

Does estrogen cause age spots?

Whereas melanin synthesis was once regulated by estrogen, as estrogen levels reduce so the production of melanin can increase and it is melanin that causes the brown age spots to occur .

What is the difference between melasma and hyperpigmentation?

Will taking estrogen help my skin?

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, has demonstrated that one year of oral estrogen therapy can increase dermal thickness by 30% in post-menopausal women , 24 while a similar trial established that six months of treatment with oral estrogen increases skin collagen by 6.49%.

What does estrogen do for skin?

How does estrogen affect facial features?

Can estrogen darken skin?

Researchers found that skin color can be regulated by estrogen and progesterone, two of the main female sex hormones. Estrogen darkens the skin ; progesterone lightens the skin.

Does estradiol darken skin?

Does low vitamin D cause melasma?

Although vitamin D is used in the treatment of melanoma and psoriasis and active role of 1, 25(OH)2D3 in skin no reports of melasma associated with vitamin D reported .

How can I reverse melasma naturally?

A. As mentioned before, in most cases, melasma goes away on its own without treatment . It can fade away slowly if you stop taking birth control pills or undergo hormone replacement therapy. Melasma triggered by pregnancy, on the other hand, may fade after a few months after the birth of the baby.

Does low iron cause melasma?

Background — Melasma is a chronic acquired localized hypermelanosis, causing aesthetic problem for women and impairing their quality of life. Evidence has suggested that hyperpigmentation can occur as a result of iron deficiency anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency .

Can hormone imbalance cause dark spots?

Dark spots due to hormonal fluctuations are more prevalent in darker skin tones —the skin is already creating melanin, which is what gives it a darker color, and when hormones trigger an increase in this melanin production, you’re more susceptible to hyperpigmentation.”

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.