Pesky, annoying, and aggravating—these are just a few of the words people use to describe their experience with melasma, a type of skin hyperpigmentation that is notoriously difficult to treat, and has many triggers. Unlike a dark spot that follows a breakout (AKA post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), melasma tends to stick around, no matter how many brightening products or treatments you throw at it.
As one of the most stubborn forms of hyperpigmentation, melasma has many people (roughly 40 percent of the population) searching for that miracle treatment and product that will get rid of it for good. Pooja Rambhia, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in NYC, compares melasma to other chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension: “It needs constant treatment and maintenance." Unfortunately, even if you do figure out a way to manage your melasma, it can still rebound easily—and is even harder to prevent in the first place.
