Q: Are all melasma the same?
A: No, they are not.
There are 3 types of melasma:
1. Epidermal melasma
Border: well-defined
Colour: dark brown
Treatment: usually has a good response.
2. Dermal melasma
Border: ill-defined
Colour: Light brown to blue-grey
Treatment: usually has a poor response.
3. Mixed melasma
They are mixed epidermal and dermal in origin.
Mixed melasma is the most common type, and is defined by:
Combination of blue-grey, light and dark brown colours
Treatment: usually shows a partial improvement.
Do not compare one’s melasma to others, they are all different.
So, never try to compare the treatment response from one person to another, their types and etiology of melasma are all different and hence the response to treatment is also not going to be the same.
Dr. Tan
