Melasma, which means skin hyperpigmentation, is a very common skin condition. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melasma affects an estimated six million people in the United States. Just think about this number!
Melasma interferes with the natural color of the skin and leads to the formation of brown patches on the face.
The main cause of it is excess melanin production in skin cells due to excessive sun exposure. However, other internal factors also contribute to this problem, and in this post I will give you an ayurvedic understanding of it. Find the location of melasma on your face and this holistic perspective will tell you what's going on inside of your body that your skin is acting this way.
1. Melasma on the Forehead The forehead, according to Ayurveda is ruled by the nervous and digestive systems. Should you find yourself with dark spots on your forehead, a potential cure would be to heal the issues with your nervous and digestive systems. One way to heal your digestive system would be to take a look at your diet and see if there are any food allergies that could be causing havoc on your digestive system. Try eliminating some of the more popular food allergies like wheat, dairy or sugar to see if these have an effect on your digestive system. Another recommendation would be to start taking a probiotic to help ease your digestive issues. As for the nervous systems, you may want to reduce the stressors in your life and take up meditation and yoga as a way to calm the nervous system and allow it to heal. 2. Melasma found on cheeks If you have hyperpigmentation on your cheeks caused by melasma, according to ayurvedic teachings, a slow metabolism and absorption of nutrients may be to blame. In inability to absorb nutrients may indicate a larger issue such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease. It may be a good idea to be tested for both those disorders in order to figure out what is causing the malabsorption of nutrients. 3. Melasma between your eyebrows and on the right side According to the Ayurvedic teachings, the right side is ruled by the liver. In order to heal the liver, you may want to avoid alcohol and take a liver boosting supplement like Milk Thistle. The liver is responsible for many things in your body, including regulating hormones, and since Melasma is likely caused by an imbalance in hormones the liver should be healed before one can expect to see a change in melasma spots on the face. 4. Melasma between the eyebrows on the left Side While the right side of your face is ruled by the liver, the left side is ruled by unresolved emotions in the spleen, according to the teachings of Ayurveda. If you have gone through recent traumatic events or find yourself harboring a lot of negative feelings towards others, this may explain why melasma is present on the left side of your face. In order to heal the unresolved emotions in the spleen, you may want to practice meditation and keep a gratitude journal in order to deal with those negative emotions. It is also important to forgive those who you are still feeling negatively towards. 5. Melasma on upper lip & around mouth Hyperpigmentation on your upper lip or around your mouth can be caused by a stressed induced hormonal changed likely caused by a diet high in sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. In order to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation on around the lips and mouth, a detox diet free of sugar, caffeine and alcohol should be attempted. 6. Hyperpigmentation around the Chin & Jawline Skin issues around the chin and jawline are believed to be caused by hormonal imbalances according to the ayurvedic teachings. Excessive cortisol caused by stressed can lead to fluctuating hormones which then leads to melasma. Ways to Manage your Melasma Now that you have learned about the Ayurvedic teachings and Face Mapping, I hope that you have found some new strategies to try in attempting to heal or manage your Melasma. In the mean time I want to provide you with some ways that you can manage your melasma: Always wear sun protection – Wearing sun protection is an absolute must if you have melasma. Find yourself a good Zinc-based, non-chemical sunblock Wear a wide-brimmed hat when outside – Along with sun protection, you’ll also want to make sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat to further prevent the sun from hitting your face and darkening the melasma. Wear UV protective sun glasses, the UV rays filter through the retina and increase endocrine system to create hormonal imbalances. Vitamin A, Vitamin C (water and lipid soluable), ferulic acid, pigment inhibitor ingredients integration into skin routine LED light therapy, chemical peels and microneedling Treatments will be your best friends in treating this skin condition. Find a professional esthetician and she will be able to help you!
