Melasma — symmetrical brown or grey-brown patches on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip — is far more common, and far more stubborn, in skin of colour. Brown, Asian, Mediterranean and Black skin has more active pigment cells, so the sun, heat and hormones that trigger melasma hit harder. The good news: it can be faded and controlled. The catch: the aggressive treatments sold for it often make darker skin worse.
Why is melasma so common in skin of colour?
Darker skin has more active melanocytes, so it responds to triggers by making more pigment. Sun (UV), heat, hormones (pregnancy, the pill) and even visible light drive melasma — and in skin of colour the response is stronger and the pigment often sits deeper, which makes it more persistent. It is not a sign of poor skincare; it is how the skin is built.
What does melasma look like in darker skin?
Melasma appears as symmetrical, blotchy brown or grey-brown patches, usually on both cheeks, the forehead, the nose bridge or the upper lip. In darker skin it can look grey or ashen where the pigment is deeper. It is flat and matches on both sides — which helps tell it apart from a single changing spot that needs a doctor.
Why do treatments make my melasma worse?
This is the skin-of-colour trap. Strong peels, the wrong lasers and harsh actives irritate the skin — and in darker skin, irritation itself causes more pigment (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). You end up darker than you started. Melasma also flares with heat, so aggressive, heat-generating treatments can backfire twice over. Gentle-and-consistent beats strong-and-fast.
Can melasma be cured?
There is no permanent cure — melasma is managed, not cured. It fades over months with the right approach and can relapse with sun or hormones, so it usually needs ongoing maintenance. Anyone promising to “cure” it is overselling. The realistic goal is to fade the appearance and keep it controlled.
How is melasma safely faded in skin of colour?
The safe order is sun protection first (broad-spectrum, every day — the single most important step), then gentle, evidence-based actives introduced slowly, and patience — tracked over months so you can see whether it is working. A doctor chooses actives that fade pigment without inflaming your skin. This is a cosmetic approach to the look of uneven tone, not a medical cure. See how to tell if it is actually fading and our sun protection for pigmentation.
Melasma, sun spots or dark marks?
Melasma is symmetrical and hormone/heat/UV-driven. Sun spots are discrete flat brown marks from UV. Post-inflammatory pigmentation is the dark mark left by acne or injury. They overlap and can coexist — which is why an assessment beats guessing.
This is cosmetic care for the look of uneven tone — not a medical treatment, and it cannot rule out skin cancer. A single patch that is changing, asymmetrical or unlike the rest should be seen by a doctor.