Health + Wellness — melasma

Hyperpigmentation Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin due to an overproduction of melanin. It can be brought on by various injuries to the skin, acne vulgaris, sun damage, and inflammation. It is most common in people with darker skin tones who spend a lot of time in the sun, although anyone with any type of skin tone may develop it. Examples of hyperpigmentation include liver spots, sun spots, age spots, melasma (mask of pregnancy), and freckles. Preventing hyperpigmentation in the first place is preferable, but hyperpigmentation treatment is possible. There are three types of hyperpigmentation: Epidermal Light brown spots,...

Melasma A common skin condition among women, Melasma causes brown, grey, and tan patches on the face, particularly the cheeks, forehead, and chin. It is believed to be caused by daily sun exposure and hormonal events such as pregnancy and hormone treatments. It is a type of hyperpigmentation that causes your body to produce too much pigment. Melasma is also referred to as The Mask of Pregnancy, and Chloasma. The condition generally appears in women between the ages of 20 and 50 (though one in 20 patients are men), and although it isn’t harmful, it can cause embarrassment and distress....

Polypodium leucotomos (PL) is a tropical fern plant native to Central America and parts of South America. It grows in the rain forest and has a long history of use as an herbal medicine ingested for a variety of ailments by the indigenous people of Honduras. The Mayans even drank it as a tea. Historically, ferns have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient Europe. Commercial extracts of Polypodium leucotomos have been available since at least the 1970s. Polypodium leucotomos is actually the common name for the herb known as Phlebodium aureum. Other names for PL include: calaguala (in Mexico...