Chloasma. The mask of pregnancy. The pill mo. They're all names for melasma — one of the most common, most stubborn and most misunderstood pigmentation conditions we see.
In this episode, Dr Samantha Davidson, Dr Kate De Ambrosis and Dr Ryan De Cruz react to some genuinely alarming home remedies doing the rounds online, then break down what melasma actually is, what triggers it, and what treatments are worth your money.
We cover why it's almost exclusively women, why your laptop screen matters as much as the beach, the difference between superficial and deep melasma, the over-the-counter products with real evidence behind them, and why "just laser it off" is usually the worst advice you'll get.
Fair warning: there is no cure. There is very good control.
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Chloasma, the pill mo — what melasma actually is
00:29 Reacting to the lemon and lime face "hack"
02:46 How melasma shows up: forehead, top lip, cheeks
03:41 The three triggers — hormones, UV and heat
04:19 Why the light from your laptop counts
04:45 Oestrogen, the pill, and why it's almost always women
06:34 Sunscreen: zinc, titanium and the iron oxide trick
06:55 Tyrosinase inhibitors, explained without the jargon
07:38 Over-the-counter: what's worth buying at the chemist
08:50 Kojic acid, licorice, retinol and the tranexamic acid boom
09:47 Oral tranexamic acid
10:07 The Kligman formula — and why these derms split it up
11:27 The hard truth: control, not cure
12:08 Superficial vs deep vs combined melasma
13:02 Chemical peels and the ten-hour mud mask
14:14 Why one week in Bali undoes six months of work
14:53 Lasers: what works, and what makes it worse
16:15 IPL, BBL and infrared saunas — the warning list
17:06 Wrap up
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⚠️ As always, everything discussed is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personal medical advice. Please see your own healthcare professional.
#melasma #pigmentation #hyperpigmentation #dermatologist #skincare
