This Patient Page covers the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for melasma, targeting a general and clinical audience.
Melasma affects about 1 in 100 people, is most common in women of reproductive age, and is more prevalent in those of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern ancestry. Treatments (topical agents, oral tranexamic acid, procedures) can improve but not cure the condition, with improvement often taking several months.
This is a patient education summary, not an original research study — no primary data, control groups, or outcome measures are reported.
Counsel patients that daily broad-spectrum tinted sunscreen (SPF ≥30), topical lightening agents, and — for severe cases — oral tranexamic acid are the mainstays of management. Set clear expectations: melasma is chronic, improvement takes months, and procedures should be done by a board-certified dermatologist to minimize adverse effects.
