« Teresa Paquin Melasma – What is it and what causes it? Melasma – What is it and what causes it? Do you experience brown or blue-ish grey patches on your skin? Do these patches appear to look like freckle spots, but are darker and closer together? You may be suffering from melasma. Melasma is a skin condition that is commonly associated with pregnancy. It occurs when the cells that contribute to the color of your skin are overly produced. It is a common skin condition that is harmless and usually fades within a few months. However, there are things you can do to speed up the treatment process. But first, let’s dive in and get a deeper understanding of melasma. What does melasma look like? As explained above. Melasma appears as light brown, dark brown, or blue-gray patches on your skin. They are flat patches that resemble freckles. They usually appear on your face, most commonly affecting the cheeks, upper lip, and forehead. Some may also experience melasma on their forearms. This common skin disorder, most often affects pregnant women, but can be experienced by anyone. Melasma usually will darken and lighten progressively overtime and gets worse in the summer, due to sun exposure. Melasma can appear in six different locations or a combination of these locations:Brachial: shoulders and upper armsCentro facial: forehead, cheeks, nose, and upper lipLateral cheek pattern: both cheeksMalar: cheeks and noseMandibular: jawlineNeck: usually in people aged 50 or older Who is most affected by melasma? This skin condition is completely harmless; however, it can often make people feel self-conscious. But you’re not alone! Melasma is very common and can affect anyone; however, it is most common in pregnant people affecting 15-50 percent. People with fair skin are less likely to be affected than people with darker skin or those who tan well. It usually occurs in people between the ages of 20 and 40 and affects women more than men. Only 10% of men are usually affected my melasma, while 90% of women are. What happens within the skin? The epidermis layer of your skin contains cells that are called melanocytes, and they store and produce the pigment known as melanin. Things like light, heat, ultraviolet radiation, or hormonal stimulation can cause the melanocytes to produce more melanin, which in response, darkens your skin. When a woman is pregnant, the hormonal levels of estrogen and progesterone are increased. These hormones are known to contribute to melasma and that’s why the skin condition is more common amongst pregnant women. This usually tends to fade after the pregnancy. Types of melasma Melasma can appear in three different ways, all having to do with the depth of pigment. It is important to identify what type you have in order to find proper treatment. The first type is epidermal. This type of melasma is dark brown in color and has a well-defined border. This kind sometimes responds well to treatment. The second type is dermal. It appears light brown or bluish in color and has no defined border. This kind doesn’t respond well to treatment. The third type is mixed melasma. This type is the most common kind of melasma. It appears in bluish and brown patches and has a mixed pattern under black light. This kind responds well to treatment. Is melasma dangerous? Some associate melasma with being a sign of skin cancer or potentially leading to skin cancer. Melasma is not cancerous and won’t “turn into” cancer. However, some skin cancers can appear to look like melasma, so it is important to see your dermatologist to confirm what it is exactly that you are experiencing. And as noted before, melasma is harmless; it shouldn’t be painful, itchy, or uncomfortable. If you are experiencing anything that gives you pain or discomfort, you should seek professional guidance to get a correct diagnosis. What causes melasma? The main causes of melasma are radiation, ultraviolet, visibly light, infrared (heat) light, and hormones. Melasma can worsen if overexposed to the sun. Some other potential causes of melasma are:Antiseizure medicationsBirth controlEstrogen/Diethylstilbestrol (man-made form of hormone estrogen)Genetics HypothyroidismLED screensPregnancyHormonesMakeupPhototoxic drugs (medicine that makes you sensitive to sunlight)Skincare productsSome scented soapsTanning beds Does melasma go away on its own? While it is possible for melasma to go away on its own, it takes a few months, and it depends on what is causing it. If you are pregnant or taking hormonal contraceptives like birth control, it most likely won’t go away on its own. There are preventative steps that you can take to avoid worsening your melasma like avoiding sunlight. Make sure to read our next blog in this series that covers different treatment options and crucial ingredients that are proven to help melasma! » Chantal McCulligh What Facial Cleanser Should You Actually Be Using? Cleansing your face twice a day – morning and night – is one of the most important steps within every beauty regime. Whether you’re young and trying to clear up acne, middle-aged and trying to prevent pre-mature wrinkles or are looking to decrease the appearance of fine lines, clean skin is the first step. However, like most things in life, not all facial cleansers are created equally and with the abundance of skincare products lining the shelves, it can seem impossible to know where to start. So, we’ve created this crash course on facial cleansing. Understanding Your Skincare Concerns At any given time, your skin has a variety of dirty, bacteria, oil and dead skin cells burrowing either on the surface or inside your pores. However, it’s important to know what type of debris is causing your skincare concerns, and once you discover that, you can head onto the next steps. While some dirt is simply oil, all dirt comes appears oily when on the skin. This is the result of dirt combining with sebum, natural oils designed to support your skin cells, maintain a healthier barrier and provide moisture. This is important to know because your skin might appear to have an oily complexion but in reality, it could just be that you’re not using a decent facial cleanser. In fact, using facials cleansers for oily skin when that’s not the actual skincare concern can deplete your skin of sebum, causing your skin condition to worsen. Now, fats are just important to your skincare health but dirt likes to stick to the fats, causing your pores to clog to the point where they’re difficult to clean without a facial cleanser. How Facial Cleansers Work Now that you know the breakdown of your skin, it’s time to learn how facial cleansers work. Facial soaps and cleansers work to remove the dirt from your pores before washing it away from the skin.This occurs as a result of a molecule found inside cleansers. This molecule has a lipid soluble (oil-loving) end and a water-soluble (water-loving). What this means is, the cleansers dissolve the dirt (lipid soluble) and then wash it away (water soluble), leaving your skin nice, clean and free of dirt. Different Types of Facial Cleansers As mentioned, not all facial cleansers are created equally. There are some that will clean your skin but subject your cells to harmful toxins, others that combine anti-aging skincare ingredients to the cleanser and the list goes on. So, it’s important to know what types of facial cleansers are out there and more importantly, which ones work best for your specifics. Gentle Facial Cleansers Gentle facial cleansers are exactly what it sounds like – cleansers that use gentle skincare ingredients to clean the skin. Often times, these are used to avoid additional skin concerns. For example, if you have dry skin, you would use a gentle facial cleanser to avoid secondary skin inflammation, redness, irritation, itching, tightness, discomfort, etc.As a general rule of thumb, the less expensive a skincare product is, the harsher it is on your skin, as they don’t cost very much to make. This is why premium skincare or rather, effective skincare costs more. You’re getting gentle, quality cleansing that isn’t going to disrupt your skin’s healthy barrier and cause your skincare concerns to worsen.Often times, gentle facial cleansers use premium, natural skincare ingredients to ensure your skin barrier isn’t disrupted by removing too many healthy oils. A couple of our favorite: Anti- Aging Soothing Facial CleanserEssential Dermaceuticals Ultra Calming Cleanse Activating Skin Cleansers You’ve likely seen “activating” on some skincare cleansers out there and this can be quite confusing. What does it mean? Well, activating skin cleansers are a modern cosmeceutical cleaner that contains quality skincare ingredients that are beneficial to your skin. No parabens or sulfate allowed! More specifically, these types of facial cleansers include various wound healers, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and exfoliation elements to give you the results you’re looking for. And as a bonus of these premium skincare ingredients, you receive additional skincare benefits. Sulfate and Paraben Free Cleansers Speaking of the prior, we can’t go any further without talking about the facial cleansers that are free of sulfates and parabens. Sulfates and parabens are the root of all evil for most things in life – from your skincare products to your shampoos and beyond. They’re harmful chemicals that cause a long list of risks and side effects. As such, sulfate-free and paraben-free facial cleansers have grown in popularity significantly over the years and for all the right reasons. However, cleansers that claim to be “sulfate free” often contain sulfonates, which can quickly have you thinking it’s a bad product. However, sulfonates are, chemically, different from the other molecule and are often used to substitute sulfate. They’re less toxic and cleanse fairly well but they still aren’t natural. Facial Cleansing Oils and Facial Wipes Facial cleansing oils, also known as cleansing balms have high lipid content that’s designed to replenish your skin’s protective layer. Think facial cleansers that moisturize at the same time.While these types of facial cleansers can sometimes be greasy, the high-quality ones will infuse your skin with rich, moisturizing agents. The downside is that the lipids found in these cleansers are far from the natural ones found in your skin, which can leave a residue or film on the surface. This can further clog your pores, increase acne breakouts and make your skincare concerns worse.Additionally, these cleansers that have high lipid content appear to be doing their job but are actually only dissolving debris, without washing it away. Think makeup wipes or facial cleaning wipes; you’re only receiving one of the two actions required for proper cleansing.However, it’s important to note that not all cleansing wipes and makeup removers are bad… As long as they are used in combination with water. Unfortunately, most cleansing wipes don’t require the use of water which means they simply dissolve the dirt and oil and wipe some of it away. So, if you insist on using these wipes (they are a huge time-saver) be sure to rinse or wash your face afterward… Which pretty much defeats the purpose of using them. To each their own. Micellar Waters Another new and innovative facial cleanser that’s taken over the beauty industry lately is micellar water. These cleansers are made up mostly of water, along with tiny particles that have saponification agents alongside the lipid-content. In other words, micellar waters effectively soak up the dirt and mildly wash them out from your skin. The cleanser can then be wiped off or rinsed away with very little water. Unfortunately, you do sometimes have to wash twice in order to get the high-quality cleanse you’re looking for. They’re also more oily than other facial cleansers which can be harmful for oily complexions or acne-prone skin. Antibacterial Cleansers These types of facial cleansers are exactly what they sound like – facial cleansers that have antibacterial elements. However, there has been a lot of talk about these “antibacterial” products as of lately and many studies have even proven that they’re no more effective against bacteria than regular washing. Some even believe antibacterial cleaners to have a worsening effect on human health, as they wash away the good kind of bacteria.Furthermore, antibacterial cleansers are known to disrupt the skin’s healthy balance which can cause more skincare concerns to sprout, such as acne, rosacea, inflammation, etc.What to take away from all of this? The more natural the cleaner, the better – and use a significant amount of water to rinse your facial cleanser off! If you’re looking for a precise skincare regime to follow specific to your skincare concerns, contact Anika Beauty or visit our salon in Hudson, New Hampshire. We are experts at what we do and will be able to provide you with a list of skincare products to use that cleanse, protect, prevent and replenish! All of Pure Essentials Natural Skincare is paraben freeAll of Essential Dermaceuticals Advanced Skincare is paraben free acne, cleansing your face, Facial cleanser, facial wipes, Hudson new Hampshire, Hudson NH, micellar water, natural skincare, parabens, premium skincare, rosacea, skincare concerns, skincare ingredients, skincare problems, what facial cleansers actually work
16 Jun 2025
Clinical, Vegan, Natural, Organic and Non GMO beauty brands for face and body. Facial and body treaments. Beauty rewards program.
$33.00
A terrific blend of acids that tones, exfoliates and brightens all with one pad. This formula contains: Mandelic, Lactic, Azeliac Acid and Niacinamide. As well as other botanicals.
All skin types can use these pads. Great for both mature and acneic skin types, Removes bacteria, control sebum production, clear pores, and control acne. reduces pigmentation. Rejuvenates dull skin. Helps to reduce wrinkles.
Contains 50 Qty one time use pads
Directions: On clean dry skin, apply one pad using a curcular motion to spread product over the face and neck, avoiding eye area. Allow to absorb and follow with other skincare products. Do not use any additional AHA or acids on top of this product.
Always wear SPF during the day for sunprotection.
Essential Skincare by Anikabeauty is a brand of skincare products that uses natural ingredients, based on science. All of the formulations do not contain benzol peroxide for those wishing to avoid this ingredient.
It is a cruelty free brand, Made in the USA. Made in small batches.
All of Essential Skincare by Anikabeauty products are free of the following listed below:
Parabens
Mineral Oil
Fragrance
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Triclosan
Hydroquinone
Nanotechnology
Benzoyl peroxide