It starts with two of my favorite letters, M & E (Me! Me! Me!) However, that is where any friendly commonalities end.

We conclude our series on the becoming a facial glow-getter with that pariah that's not quite an age spot, but is equally as disruptive to your age-defying facial zone… yep, melasma.

Melas-who? Oh… come on. You know. Melasma are the brownish patches caused by sun-exposure and hormonal changes (like pregnancy). At least that's what the proverbial 'they' think. In reality though, 'they' don't really know what causes this overproduction of pigment, most common in women of Hispanic, Asian, African or Middle Eastern descent. But let's get back to the real matter at hand: Getting rid of it.

Most doctors agree that eradicating face-marring melasma requires a prescription-strength hydroquinone. And despite the published concerns over this potent potion, hydroquinone is still considered safe due to the rarity of harmful side effects like severe burning, itching, crusting, or swelling of treated areas (probably due to an allergic reaction). The most common side effect are simply redness and irritation (much like retinoids) - and the good news? Hydroquinone works to eliminate brown-patchy places on the skin by, not exactly bleaching the skin, but by inhibiting another big word: tyrosinase, which is an enzyme involved in producing pigment.

Of course there are other, brand-spanking-new-ier products. One being the Lumixyl Brightening System, which is a four-part doctor-dispensed topical regimen that, given proper usage, may (as in maybe and might) fade melasma in as little as eight weeks. Botanical agents used in over-the-counter products, like kojic acid and licorice extraction can also maybe inhibit melanin production.

But what if your patch is more a scar-y spot 'caused by an errant pimple that you simply could not keep your paws off of?

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is sadly, a real thing - and while it may not last forever, it will last long enough (Up to two years! *sob) to bring on tears. The same skin lighteners that are used to treat melasma apply - but do be careful not to lighten the surrounding skin in the meantime. Or go cry on your doctors shoulder, to which he or she may promptly recommend the KTP laser or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments we mentioned earlier in our article on getting rid of age spots.


So you see, there is simply no need to let any splotchy-splotchy-spots mar you're glorious visage - age be damned! Of course… should you continually forget to slather on the SPF… (Oh yes, ladies. We're going there again.)

The one commonality between the bevy of beauty-busting topics in our series on perfecting skin tone is that most of them could have been avoided by continually protecting yourself from the sun's harmful UVA and UVB's. Please don't make me say it ladies. You know what to do.

Keep the M+E and simply toss the L+A+S+M+A in the trash with any other splotchy-spots daring to out us in the age department, and the next time you hear “Why, she's simply glowing!” you can be certain that they're talking about you.