BEST SKINCARE FOR MELASMA: WHAT YOU SHOULD BE USING
If you struggle with melasma, please know I understand how you feel. Dealing with skin issues, especially one on your face, can be incredibly isolating and lonely.
But the fact that you're here reading this, seeking answers, means you're one step closer to finding what you need! With information, you’re empowered to play a huge role in the health of your body, and I hope that this post will help you along in your healing journey!
I remember what it was like to have melasma - putting layers of makeup on just to go out in public, avoiding the sun which meant avoiding the pool, beach, and outdoor activities, and the endless hours spent searching online for how to treat melasma.
Most of the ‘remedies’ for melasma include things like using lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, lasers, peels, kojic acid, glycolic acid, or using lightening creams like hydroquinone. Or it might include taking random supplements, not targeted to each individual person.
None of those so-called remedies worked though, and many of them actually made my skin worse!
When I noticed that my skin would get worse when I used any of the topical recommendations for melasma, that’s when I began looking into what really caused melasma.
If all these topical treatments weren’t helping, then what was the answer?
I learned that melasma is caused by an imbalance somewhere in the body, therefore topical treatments won’t get rid of the dark spots permanently.
Some topicals might help short term, but the melasma comes back because topical treatments don’t get to the root cause of the melasma.
In this blogpost, I talked about how most people are using topical treatments to try to treat melasma + why this won’t help get rid of it.
Besides the fact that melasma is caused by an imbalance that needs to be addressed internally (not topically), using harsh topical treatments can actually make melasma worse in some cases.
Using more + more topical treatments, can cause damage to the protective layer of skin.
If your lipid barrier is already damaged, these treatments can damage it even further, making your skin even more sensitive to light, heat, and anything you put in your skin.
WHAT TYPE OF SKINCARE IS BEST FOR MELASMA?
So, you’re probably wondering what type of skincare you should be using if you melasma.
Less is more when it comes to melasma!
When I realized that the topical treatments weren’t helping my skin heal, and in many cases made it worse, I stopped using all acids, peels, lasers, and creams that were recommended for melasma and I started using a super gentle approach to skincare.
When I saw positive results from this approach, I started recommending the same for my clients with melasma, and their skin also responded positively.
To my pleasant surprise, in the process of trying to heal the hyperpigmentation, my acne scars also faded, so I would recommend this routine for both issues.
I recommend using a very simple routine including:
1. Gentle cleanser, like oil-cleansing method
Many cleansers are overly drying which strips skin of its natural oils, and this can backfire in more irritation and inflammation.
Oil-cleansing has numerous benefits, like helping to moisturize the skin to prevent wrinkles, keeps skin soft and hydrated, it's gentle, helps dissolve impurities leading to cleaner pores, and because oils are the closest to the oils naturally found in our skin, it keeps the protective layer of skin healthy.
2. Gentle moisturizer
Use a gentle moisturizer that can also help repair skin like Cerave Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM
3. Mineral sunscreen with iron oxide
That’s it’s.
It might seem scary to leave your skin alone, but this is what allows the protective layer of skin to heal + recover, and ultimately your skin can calm down.
You can find more details inside my online course, The Melasma Free Method (MFM), where I teach my students that when it comes to skincare for melasma, LESS IS MORE.
You can find a complete Skincare Guide inside The Melasma Free Method online course, where I give lots of options for each step of the simple melasma-friendly skincare routine, including options for cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens, and my updated DIY Nourishing Skin Moisturizer.
This is the step-by-step skincare routine I used when my melasma was the most severe and I still use even today.
As tempting as it to use peels, lightening creams, etc., those things often make melasma worse and don’t help the melasma permanently. Using gentle, natural skincare and nourishing, healing oils allows skin to calm down and heal on its own without further irritation.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
Drink Plenty of Water
This simple step can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. Hydrated skin naturally appears healthier and has a brighter, more even skin tone skin.
You don’t need to overdo it though! You can drink too much water. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of hydrating liquids per day.
· Stop using topical treatments
Stop wasting money on every shiny object (or skin treatment/cream) that comes along making promises to get rid of your melasma. Going from one harsh product to another can backfire and prevent your skin from healing.
· Avoid the sun
· Find shade
· Wear a wide-brimmed hat
· Avoid heat when possible: hot water on face, saunas, hot showers, hot yoga, etc.
If you’re looking for information like this about healing melasma naturally from the inside-out, my online course The Melasma Free Method covers everything about melasma including a Skincare Guide, detailed nutrition/nourishment info for balanced hormones, stress management + stress recovery, specific nutrients for melasma, detailed info on balancing hormones naturally, minerals imbalances that can cause melasma, and so on.
I created the course because I remembers how difficult it was trying to figure out how to heal melasma on my own, and the only recommendations I ever got were for topicals that made my skin worse and never helped it get better.
If you want the information in one place and you want to get to the root cause of your melasma, the MFM course is here for you.
Have you noticed that any time you use a product/treatment typically recommended for melasma that your skin gets more sensitive? Red? Irritated?
Irritating and stripping your skin is NOT the way to heal it. You cannot exfoliate or peel melasma away.
Melasma must be addressed internally, and you can also help your skin calm down by repairing + keeping the outer layer healthy, instead of making it worse with harsh skin treatments.
Healing melasma is a multi-step approach but starting with the right skincare is a great place to start!
Stop using things that damage the protective layer of skin + incorporate a super simple routine.
You're already using something for your skincare routine, so it's just a matter of swapping out for the right products.
I reversed my severe Melasma without topical treatments