As the temps get warmer and days get longer most are ready to embrace the sunkissed skin days with open arms.
If you happen to live with Melasma, however, you could be in a panic over either losing all your process lifting the stubborn pigmentation during the winter season or re-triggering your melasma all over again.
So naturally you want to know how to build a summer skincare routine specific to melasma skin at home.
This post is all about how you the ideal Summer Skincare Routine for your Melasma, at home.
Table of Contents
What exactly is Melasma?
Melasma is a common skin condition that affects both men and women, causing the skin to develop dark, discolored patches, usually on the face.
More commonly known as ‘Pregnancy Mask’, Melasma has traditionally been attributed to the fluctuations in hormone levels a woman experiences during her pregnancy.
However as more research and data are gathered on the condition hormonal changes from puberty, stress as well as, sun exposure, and genetics have all been found to be contributing factors.
One key thing to remember….
There is no known cure for melasma.
Much like Acne or Acneic skin types, you learn to successfully manage a condition your skin simply has a higher chance of experiencing.
There are, however, several treatments that can help reduce the appearance of Melasma deposits. There are also several ways that you can adjust your personal skincare routine to continually target and suppress the overactive melanin response in your skin. In this blog post, we will discuss various ways to treat melasma, specifically during the summer season.
How to treat Melasma effectively
When building a treatment plan that targets Melasma, it’s important to remember the triggers discussed above.
Hormonal fluctuations can result from so many circumstances, pregnancy is just one of them. But a root cause we typically overlook is stress.
Yes, that dreaded S word, but stress deeply affects our hormonal levels which in turn can trigger Melasma conditions.
Another thing to remember is that Melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation, and hyperpigmentation can be more than surface-deep.
As we produce Melanin in our bodies, it travels up to the surface of our skin layer by layer, which is why it can be such a difficult and lengthy process to peel back the layers and have that new, healthy skin rise to the surface.
treat your skin holistically
For truly effective care, you want to treat your skin from the inside as well as the outside.
A few ways you can do this, is to:
- Consume foods that reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation triggers hyperpigmentation by causing your body to think it’s under threat and needs to cover itself (calling on melanin)
- Consult with your doctor about adding Vitamin C as a supplement. Some good research has been found to show it can be helpful for patients experiencing Melasma. Check out this paper here ——->The Application of Skincare in Melasma Treatment
- Supplement internally with supplements (consult your doctor first of course) Vitamin C, Turmeric (curcumin) are just a few antioxidant or anti-inflammatory supplements you can try.
Treat your skin topically with multiple ingredients
Melasma is treated much like hyperpigmentation from sun spots as we age.
It’s harder to clear because there are so many layers of pigmentation below the surface of the skin.
This is why it’s best to target your melasma from a skincare perspective, is by using products that target different things.
Skincare for Melasma
Your Cleanser:
You should be looking for cleansers that help to keep inflammation at bay, so gentle soothing cleansers that keep your skin calm.
Look for cleansers for your AM routine, that include anti-oxidants this goes a long way to protecting your skin from environmental stressors that can age as well as aggravate existing pigmentation.
In your PM cleanse (depending on your skin type or sensitivity) you can use a cleanser that includes a very mild exfoliation ingredient. AHA’s or Fruit Enzymes will give you hydration while also helping to turn over dead pigmented skin cells to allow for clearer cells to rise to the surface.
Your Toning / Misting Step:
The next step to follow your cleanse will be your first introduction to water-based hydration and you should look for ingredients like Sodium Hyaluronate or Sodium PCA in addition to ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid which binds hydration to your skin for longer.
Your Mist can also include antioxidants to further protect your skin.
Brightening ingredients like licorice root, bilberry extract, or rice bran all help to lift hyperpigmentation and so can be helpful for Melasma Conditions.
Use Serums that target different parts
Your Serums are like your specialized tactical units that do certain things really well, and when combined create like a super team to treat your Melasma as a whole.
Vitamin C
reach for this to help even skin tone, provide anti-oxidant protection AND help make your SPF protection even more effective.
Vitamin C Favorites to Try
Tyrosinase Inhibitors
A must-have in your Melasma Skincare Routine; Tyrosinase inhibitors work within your skin to suppress the hyperproduction of melanin (the contributor to hyperpigmentation).
These work better together. So you can look for serums that are a blend of many or just incorporate a few different tyrosinase inhibitor serums in your morning and evening routine.
A few to look for:
- Alpha Arbutin
- Azelaic Acid
- Tranexamic Acid
- Bilberry Extract
- Licorice Root
Exfoliation
Based on advice from your skincare professional, incorporate an exfoliating step to help increase cell turnover overnight.
This can be in the form of a mild scrub, topical exfoliants like a retinol, or Vitamin A-based compound like Tretinoin.
Be sure to give your skin a break if you start to see thinning or prolonged redness of your skin. These are signs of over-exfoliation and not of an effective skincare routine.
Learn how to build a Tretinoin Routine for your Sensitive skin here —————> READ THIS POST
Never forget your SPF
Your SPF is just as important if not more so, than any other part of your routine.
If you are not protecting your skin from the harmful effects of prolonged Sun Exposure, your other skincare products, and even your skincare supplements are negated.
For Melasma Skincare Routines, it’s best to try to use mineral-based sunscreen (sunscreens that have physical actives like zinc oxide) in their ingredient list, to completely block UVA and UVB rays from entering your skin.
Re-apply your SPF
no matter what sunscreen you use, make sure you re-apply or top up your SPF protection throughout the day.
This safeguards the exposure of your skin should your SPF get rubbed off or broken down due to sweat or water, or even just physical activity.
Make sure you practice safe sun play
Planning to take a summer getaway? Or just headed out for a day of summer fun?
Don’t forget to pack some summer-safe items.
When you have Melasma as a condition it’s just safer to not tempt the dragon. Hats are your friend, the wider the brim the better.
If you get Melasma patches on other areas of your body, try to cover those areas from prolonged direct sunlight.
Pack Swim tops or cover-ups for when you’re not actively in the water.
It’s safer to prevent triggering melasma than it is easier to treat it.
Melasma and Summer aren’t at odds
Experiencing Melasma can be a worrisome condition when you know there is no cure and so many possible triggers.
But as with anything, knowledge is power, and what you know you can address informed and head-on.
So give these tips to build your ideal skincare routine for your Melasma during the summer season and all year round.
Find some favorite items below and share some of your Melasma experiences in the comments. It may help someone!
Thank you for the helpful information about melasma. I had never heard of it before. Your advice is simple and practical.
Very informative post on how to build a summer skincare routine specific to melasma skin at home. You really provide an in-depth and helpful post.