Recovery
Results
Treatment Time
Aftercare
Treatment science score 
The Science of Melasma Treatments at Home
- Using the correct sunscreen formulation in the correct manner is the first step
- Iron oxides via mineral makeup is the second step
- Natural ingredients include azelaic acid, beta arbutin, & vitamin C
- AM routine goes like this: Vitamin C, E, + SPF + Mineral makeup
- PM routine goes like this: Azelaic acid 10-15%
- Once a week: AHA serum 10-15%
- Supplement with glutathione & polypodium extract
The first step in melasma home remedies is the correct use of sunscreen. This entails understanding frequency, amount & basic formulations
What results can I expect from home remedies for melasma?
To date, this is the most effective laser for melasma. 85% of patients can expect a significant reduction of pigmentation. Adjunctive pigment correcting creams can amplify the results from laser treatments.
What are the steps required to treat melasma?
Though results from in-clinic treatments are far more effective in clearing pigmentation & melasma, there are simple at-home remedies that may be effective. I will go through a 3 step process that is cost effective.
- Radiation protection with sunscreen & mineral makeup
- Basic skin care for pigmentation.
- Intermediate skin care
Why is sunscreen the most important step of the process?
Melasma is super sensitive to UVA & UVB as well as visible light, hence sunscreen forms the foundation of melasma management. Everyone gets collateral exposure, even if you work from home, or rarely venture out. If there is light, there is background radiation.
How do I use sunscreen properly?
95% of melasma patients do not know how to properly use sunscreen. Let’s learn how to, by a dermatologist in 2 simple steps.
- Apply after using antioxidants in the morning (vitamin C, E, ferulic acid). Apply 3-5 mls or ¾ to 1 teaspoon to the head & neck.
- Reapply in the afternoon or sooner if you have significant UV exposure.
Apply sunscreen regardless of sun exposure
What are adjunctive methods of sun protection?
Iron oxide. That’s correct. It’s the magic ingredient after sunscreen. Why? Because it gives you HEV or blue light protection, in addition to other visible light. It also can be formulated for a specific shade, hence color matching to your skin.
Iron oxide can be found in some sunscreen products, namely Melan 130, Jane Iredale Glow time & other tinted formulations. The problem lies in a color match for your skin tone. This especially applies to darker – ethnic skin types.
Here is the solution, concentrate on buying a non-tinted sunscreen if color match is an issue. Augment your protection with mineral makeup with iron oxide in your shade. This ensures you have UVB, UVA & visible light protection in your shade. Job done.
Our Gallery of Results
What is a basic skincare routine for pigment & melasma?
Step 2 consists of pigment correctors that can be found online.
AM: Vitamin C, E, ferulic acid. SPF then iron oxide mineral make up
PM: Azelaic acid 10-20% concentration
What is an intermediate skincare routine for pigment?
Add glycolic acid serum 10-15% every 7 to 14 days. Do this after week 6 of your basic skincare routine. Do not add this to your routine if-
- You don’t understand how your skin reacts to topicals
- If you use other skincare products that may reduce your skin’s barrier function
- If you suffer sensitive skin
Hori, faded (not completely) in only 2 sessions with Picosure Pro
.
👉End point> Stippled frosting focally over my usual end point of gray/oedema. More aggressive settings give faster clearance, albeit higher risks of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation
.
👉Ideally 2 more sessions
.
Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasmaclinic #hori #horinaevustreatment #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #pigmentationclinic
Hori, faded (not completely) in only 2 sessions with Picosure Pro
.
👉End point> Stippled frosting focally over my usual end point of gray/oedema. More aggressive settings give faster clearance, albeit higher risks of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation
.
👉Ideally 2 more sessions
.
Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasmaclinic #hori #horinaevustreatment #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #pigmentationclinic
Pigment is a glow distractor
.
👉Understanding the level of pigment > first step in optimizing your outcome
.
👉Match a wavelength to the level > predictable outcome
.
👉Match an ‘ingredient’ to pigment output > better outcome
.
👉Match an injectable to the level > the icing on the cake
.
👉Reducing UV & visible light > an essential step
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasmaclinic #melasma #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #pigmentation
Pigment is a glow distractor
.
👉Understanding the level of pigment > first step in optimizing your outcome
.
👉Match a wavelength to the level > predictable outcome
.
👉Match an ‘ingredient’ to pigment output > better outcome
.
👉Match an injectable to the level > the icing on the cake
.
👉Reducing UV & visible light > an essential step
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasmaclinic #melasma #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #pigmentation
For melasma, it does not mean the deeper you go, the better the results💯
.
👉Superficial peels: slow & steady with glycolic over lactic acid
.
👉TCA: outdated, though 8-10% single to double coating can reduce pigment in some cases
.
👉Phenol: for recalcitrant cases, with the risk of PIH & long lasting hypo
.
👉Novel Peels: probably gives the best results, with a hit rate of around 60+%, best used with medical therapy
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#tcapeel #cosmelanpeel #viprecisionpeel #chemicalpeel #melasmatreatment #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #phenolpeel #pigmentation
For melasma, it does not mean the deeper you go, the better the results💯
.
👉Superficial peels: slow & steady with glycolic over lactic acid
.
👉TCA: outdated, though 8-10% single to double coating can reduce pigment in some cases
.
👉Phenol: for recalcitrant cases, with the risk of PIH & long lasting hypo
.
👉Novel Peels: probably gives the best results, with a hit rate of around 60+%, best used with medical therapy
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#tcapeel #cosmelanpeel #viprecisionpeel #chemicalpeel #melasmatreatment #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #phenolpeel #pigmentation
As with everything medical, advice is based upon probability not possibility, taking into account outliers
.
🧴Creams: can flare melasma. More potent creams containing a mix of estrogen, especially estradiol over estriol (acknowledging that estriol is the predominant form in pregnancy) has a higher chance of flares. The greatest risk is in sun exposed areas
.
💊HRT tablets / systemic/ patches: Has a higher risk compared to creams. Dose related threshold that depends on individuals. Estradiol has a higher risk compared to estriol
.
👉Vaginal Estrogen Creams: risk is very low as systemic absorption is limited
.
🤷🏻♂️Non-hormonal estrogen receptor modulators (Emepelle): risk unquantified
.
👉💯Tips: avoid creams on sun exposed areas, including face /chest / arms
.
👉Are you on HRT, & has your melasma flared up because of it?
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasma #HRT #hormonereplacement #themelasmaclinic #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #menopauseclinic #menopause #menopausemelasma
As with everything medical, advice is based upon probability not possibility, taking into account outliers
.
🧴Creams: can flare melasma. More potent creams containing a mix of estrogen, especially estradiol over estriol (acknowledging that estriol is the predominant form in pregnancy) has a higher chance of flares. The greatest risk is in sun exposed areas
.
💊HRT tablets / systemic/ patches: Has a higher risk compared to creams. Dose related threshold that depends on individuals. Estradiol has a higher risk compared to estriol
.
👉Vaginal Estrogen Creams: risk is very low as systemic absorption is limited
.
🤷🏻♂️Non-hormonal estrogen receptor modulators (Emepelle): risk unquantified
.
👉💯Tips: avoid creams on sun exposed areas, including face /chest / arms
.
👉Are you on HRT, & has your melasma flared up because of it?
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasma #HRT #hormonereplacement #themelasmaclinic #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist #menopauseclinic #menopause #menopausemelasma
In the past 10 years there has been a tremendous increase in knowledge regarding the cause/s of melasma, enabling better treatments with longer remission times & higher clearances
.
👉Peels: are a novel way to reduce pigment. They can be effective in 50-60% of cases. We perform Cosmelan, Dermamelan, Vi Precision, AHAs & Jessner. In some cases they provide a slightly faster clearance rate compared to lasers, however their ‘hit’ rate is not as good, providing devices are dialed in correctly. As per diagram, there are many other pathways to consider when treating melasma pigment 💯
.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼Sunscreen: correct application overlooked by the majority of patients. This is step on in the algorithm, get this correct before embarking on peels, skin care & lasers
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasma #cosmelan #chemicalpeelmelasma #themelasmaclinic #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist
In the past 10 years there has been a tremendous increase in knowledge regarding the cause/s of melasma, enabling better treatments with longer remission times & higher clearances
.
👉Peels: are a novel way to reduce pigment. They can be effective in 50-60% of cases. We perform Cosmelan, Dermamelan, Vi Precision, AHAs & Jessner. In some cases they provide a slightly faster clearance rate compared to lasers, however their ‘hit’ rate is not as good, providing devices are dialed in correctly. As per diagram, there are many other pathways to consider when treating melasma pigment 💯
.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼Sunscreen: correct application overlooked by the majority of patients. This is step on in the algorithm, get this correct before embarking on peels, skin care & lasers
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney, 🇦🇺
Australia
.
#melasma #cosmelan #chemicalpeelmelasma #themelasmaclinic #melasmaclinic #drdavinlim #sydneydermatologist
Effectively building & keeping collagen in the upper layers of skin can potentially prevent & treat some forms of pigmentation, especially the ones related to aging. This includes late onset melasma & ‘dermal’ dropout, more common in darker skin types
.
👉How to? Topical retinoids can potentially provide very low levels of collagen, more efficient modalities include lasers, RF microneedling (correct depth & settings) as well as HIFU & biostimulatory injectables. The ideal biostimulus depends on the clinical presentation & age of the patient🙌🏼
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasma #melasmaclinic #biostimulator #skin #melasmatreatment #sunscreens #bioremodelling #drdavinlim #dermatologistsydney
Effectively building & keeping collagen in the upper layers of skin can potentially prevent & treat some forms of pigmentation, especially the ones related to aging. This includes late onset melasma & ‘dermal’ dropout, more common in darker skin types
.
👉How to? Topical retinoids can potentially provide very low levels of collagen, more efficient modalities include lasers, RF microneedling (correct depth & settings) as well as HIFU & biostimulatory injectables. The ideal biostimulus depends on the clinical presentation & age of the patient🙌🏼
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane | Sydney,
Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasma #melasmaclinic #biostimulator #skin #melasmatreatment #sunscreens #bioremodelling #drdavinlim #dermatologistsydney
90% of CALM or cafe au lait macules can respond to pico or QSL.
.
👉This patient: treated with 532 Hollywood Spectra nano laser, sessions spaced 8-10 weeks apart. Anecdotally facial lesions respond better than extra-facial lesions
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
The Melasma Clinic
Sydney, Australia🇦🇺
.
#spectralaser #lutronic #calmbirthmark #birthmarktreatment #cafeaulaitbirthmark
#birthmarkremoval #drdavinlim #davinlim #sydneydermatologist
90% of CALM or cafe au lait macules can respond to pico or QSL.
.
👉This patient: treated with 532 Hollywood Spectra nano laser, sessions spaced 8-10 weeks apart. Anecdotally facial lesions respond better than extra-facial lesions
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
The Melasma Clinic
Sydney, Australia🇦🇺
.
#spectralaser #lutronic #calmbirthmark #birthmarktreatment #cafeaulaitbirthmark
#birthmarkremoval #drdavinlim #davinlim #sydneydermatologist
🍊Vitamin C is useful, only if your skin can tolerate it. Why? High bioavailable vitamin C has an acidic formulation with a low pH, much lower than the already acidic environment of skin. This can lead to irritation, which means more potent pigment correctors can’t be applied
.
👉Formulations: L -ascorbic acid, preferably in the morning under make up & a thick layer of tinted sunscreen
.
👉Tips: concentrate on getting your sunscreen application correct before product selection, 90% of melasma sufferers haven’t got this step correct
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
The Melasma Clinic
Sydney, Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasma #vitaminc #ascorbicacid #vitamincskincare #themelasmaclinic #sydneydermatologist #drdavinlim #themelasmaclinic
🍊Vitamin C is useful, only if your skin can tolerate it. Why? High bioavailable vitamin C has an acidic formulation with a low pH, much lower than the already acidic environment of skin. This can lead to irritation, which means more potent pigment correctors can’t be applied
.
👉Formulations: L -ascorbic acid, preferably in the morning under make up & a thick layer of tinted sunscreen
.
👉Tips: concentrate on getting your sunscreen application correct before product selection, 90% of melasma sufferers haven’t got this step correct
.
😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
The Melasma Clinic
Sydney, Australia🇦🇺
.
#melasma #vitaminc #ascorbicacid #vitamincskincare #themelasmaclinic #sydneydermatologist #drdavinlim #themelasmaclinic
What is the fastest & safest solution for melasma?
Picosecond lasers employ ultrashort pulses of light to safely shatter unwanted pigment without heating the skin. This is the fundamental difference between picosecond technology & lasers such as Fraxel & IPL.
With precise settings, Picosure can clear up melasma pigmentation within a few short weeks. Results are seen as early as one week after treatment.
When should I restart my skincare routine after a chemical peel?
Post Cosmelan peel, you will be transitioning the Cosmelan 2 program which entails the use of products to be used at home.
For other peeling agents, you can transition back to your skin care 1-10 days post procedure.
What are chemical peels & should I do it at home?
Chemical peels are effective treatments for melasma & pigmentation. Prior to the invention of lasers AHA & TCA peels were the standard of treatment, however these peels were hampered with rebound pigmentation & melasma recurrences.
I do not endorse home chemical peels (in the context of melasma). Why? Because if you get it wrong pigment can be 10 times worse. Off the record, here are my thoughts.
Safest peels? Salicylic acid 10-20% home peel as it requires no neutralization. The same goes for TCA at around 8%. Retinoic acid, if you can find a good formulation, is also safe.
Dangerous peels? Glycolic & lactic acid. Screw up the neutralization process & its post inflammatory hyperpigmentation for months to years.
Why are AHA serums safer than peels?
Glycolic acid serums are far safer than peels because they are pH controlled. This controls the availability of free acids. Serums have a high pH & are buffered compared to glycolic acid peels.
Introduce a AHA 10-15% serum every 7 to 14 days at week 6 to 8 of your melasma at home treatment. It works by exfoliation of surface pigment & increased absorption (priming) of skin.
What about DIY Cosmelan peels or Dermamelan peels?
Safer than glycolic, but ideally you should be guided as to how to modulate the post peel inflammation. These peels are effective in about 50-60% of melasma cases.
A safe & practical home solution is; Cosmelan mask in office, followed by Cosmelan 2 at home (for 3 to 4 months).
What about microneedling for melasma?
Microneedling is an awesome treatment, but not for melasma. If you want to try this at home, the biggest advice I can give you is to –
- Use a stamping device. This is far safer than a roller, & easier to use than an imitation Dermapen or SkinPen.
- Stick with 0.2 mm stamping needles. Do NOT go deeper.
The aim of microneedling is to increase the permeation of skin care actives & pigment correctors. You can add azelaic acid, vitamin C or a mix of botanicals such as licorice root, soy, bearberries & arbutin directly after microneedling.
The Melasma Clinic difference
Our specialist clinic can effectively treat pigmentation in all skin types, should you fail to respond to conventional at home remedies for melasma. We employ the very latest lasers & chemical peel techniques. Combined with our extensive dermatological training we manage all forms of pigmentation, ranging from melasma through to post inflammatory pigmentation. Book a consultation with our clinical team.
Dr Davin Lim
650K subscribersHow to treat PIGMENTATION
If I can identify the cause of pigmentation, chances are I can treat it. This can only be achieved with careful real time examination…
More of our mostFrequently asked questions
What supplements can help with melasma, pigmentation & skin lightening / brightening?
Ca diet help clear up melasma pigmentation?
What are some natural ingredients for melasma worth using?
Does heat flare melasma up?
What is the best way to clear up melasma?
What are some natural ways to cure melasma?
How does Picosure Pro clear up pigment?
Will Picosure be effective for all cases of melasma?
A SummaryMelasma home remedies
Dr Davin Lim | Dermatologist
The Melasma Clinic, Brisbane | Sydney
If time or money is tight, try at home treatments. Just do not screw it up as it makes melasma worse & potentially more difficult to treat. Classic examples that I see every week include microneedling performed too deep or too often (pushes pigment deeper) & post inflammatory pigmentation for DIY peels, retinol burns, high strength skin care acids & lemon juice (the absolute silliest thing you can do to your skin).
The biggest traction you will receive is to understand sunscreens & photoprotection. Melasma is the only condition that is activated by radiation from UVB through to UVA, , HEV blue, longer wavelength visible light & even IR or infrared heat. You can spend thousands on pico lasers, skin care, Cosmelan or Dermamelan peels & you will achieve very little traction if radiation protection is not adequate.
So sensitive are your pigment cells that even the tiniest amount of radiation can undo 3 months of good work. This is how sensitive your pigment cells are to radiation. Before you spend big (or small) on products, invest in sunscreen & a good mineral make up that is high in iron oxide & matches your skin tone.
Trust me, you will not wear mismatched sunscreen, so forget the brand names like Melan 130 & invest in good formulations with appropriate skin match. For more on how to match your makeup, goto matchmymakeup.com. It’s a FREE tool that can color match your current products.
From there, use non-prescriptive skin care such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 10-20%. This is where formulation matters, cheap isn’t good, but expensive is not better. Select L-ascorbic acid over other isomers. Good brands include SkinCeuticals (expensive but worth it) as well as Synergie & Rationale. Ideally combine this with antioxidants as part of your morning routine.
Night time? If I had to pick one non-prescriptive skin care ingredient to treat pigment (with the lowest common denominator taken into consideration) it would be azelaic acid. For advanced users, you can consider Cysteamine or Cypera. This ingredient is also found in nature – namely breast milk. It is harder to use than azelaic acid, as it requires short contact therapy.
Clutching at straws? You have 3 other ‘home remedies’ (that are sensible). Firstly, diet. Low evidence but even if it does not work, it markedly reduces heart disease & stroke rate in addition it will reduce your BMI, and potentially reduce skin age. Eat foods that are high in antioxidants. The other two include supplements, namely polypodium extract & glutathione. 480 mg twice a day for the former, & 500 mg once to twice daily for the later.
