5 steps to prevent chloasma during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a phase of many changes in a woman’s body. One of them is the appearance of chloasma on the face, which is the development of dark spots on the skin. The dermatologists Dr. Priscila Pavezzi (CRM 29231), professor of Dermatology at PUCPR and Dr. Silvana Cogh (CRM 83078) from the São Camilo SP Hospital Network spoke about this subject.

what is chloasma

Dr. Priscila explained that chloasma or chloasma gravidarum is a term used to describe the occurrence of melasma during pregnancy. Dr. Silvana explained that “it is a pathology that presents dark spots on the skin, usually irregular and symmetrical, brown or brownish”.

The dermatologists reported that the lesions are symmetrically distributed and affect mainly regions exposed to the sun, such as the forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, upper lip and upper lip, but they can also appear on the arms, neck and chest.

What causes chloasma

As reported by Dr. Silvana, “melasma has no defined cause, but it is usually associated with genetic and hormonal factors such as the use of contraceptives and pregnancy”.

“When it appears during pregnancy, it can be called “chloasma gravidarum”, because with the high concentration of hormones at this stage, the woman is predisposed to develop this type of dark spot in the exposed areas”, he explained.

She added, saying that “it can occur from exposure to ultraviolet radiation and visible light emitted by computer screens, cell phones and lamps”.

Already Dr. Priscila added that the cause of melasma is multifactorial and that the most important factor is sun exposure.

According to her, “UV light induces the production of reactive oxygen species in the skin which subsequently promotes the production of melanin. In addition, UV radiation induces the production of melanocyte-stimulating hormone which increases melanin production.”

How to treat chloasma

According to Silvana, “the treatment is based on topical medication, with hydroquinone acids, retinoids, glycolic acid and others, in addition to chemical peels, microneedling and some types of laser that destroy the pigment by mechanical action and not by heat”.

For Priscila, the treatment “is very challenging and, without a doubt, the most important factor in the treatment is the rigorous prevention of sun exposure”. Without such care, “potentially successful treatments for melasma are doomed to fail.” In addition, in some cases it is important to avoid exposure to exogenous estrogens.

How can you prevent chloasma

As seen, treating blemishes on the skin is very difficult. Therefore, prevention is very important not to develop them. Here are dermatologists’ guidelines for preventing chloasma:

• Avoid exposure to the sun;
• Use sunscreen and reapply it 3 times a day;
• Apply sunscreen even on rainy and sunny days;
• Use photoprotection not only on the face, but on the entire body;
• Use sunscreen that protects the skin from visible light;
• Carry out treatment suitable for your skin type and type of melasma.

Dr. Priscila reported that there is a “direct relationship between melasma and female hormonal activity, as it is more common in women than in men and can develop or worsen during pregnancy and with the use of oral contraceptives”.

Chloasma X Melasma

Silvana explained that chloasma is an old term used for spots in pregnancy being described as chloasma gravidarum.

Priscilla added that “chloasma is derived from the Greek word chloazein, which means “to be green”. now the word melas is also Greek and means “black”. However, the professional commented that melasma is the preferred term, since the pigmentation is not greenish”.

As seen, chloasma is a type of spot developed in pregnancy that can be alleviated or treated following the guidelines of a dermatologist. Enjoy and learn about other types of dark spots on the skin and their treatments!