Melasma
Brown, tan or gray-brown patches, typically on the cheeks, upper lip, forehead and nose, and usually on both sides of the face. It is often triggered by sun exposure together with hormonal changes. Melasma itself is harmless.
Home Facial Esthetics Skin Conditions Sun Damage & Melasma
Skin Condition
Sun Damage and Melasma Treatment
Expert, top-rated treatment for sun damage and melasma: sun spots, dark patches and uneven tone
Brown patches, sun spots and uneven tone can look alike in the mirror, but they are not the same thing, and they are not treated the same way. Melasma and sun damage have different causes, so the first step is knowing which one you have. At Deluxe Esthetics the treatment follows your skin type and how far the condition has gone, and every treatment is performed by Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI, an 8-Time Top Dentist and official Care Esthetics partner, at a practice with 800+ five-star reviews. Start with a $49 in-person consultation, applied to your treatment.
- Official Partner Care Esthetics
- $49 In-Person Consultation Applied to your treatment
- Performed by Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI
What Are Sun Damage and Melasma?
Both are forms of hyperpigmentation: skin that has made more pigment, called melanin, than the skin around it.
Melasma is a common skin condition that causes brown or gray-brown patches on the face. It comes from too much melanin production and is often triggered by sun exposure and hormonal changes. The result is an uneven skin tone.
Sun damage is what ultraviolet (UV) light does to the skin, in one afternoon or over many years. It ranges from freckles and sunburn to dark patches, and it also ages the skin: prolonged exposure to harsh UV light reduces elasticity and collagen production.
For an independent overview, read the American Academy of Dermatology’s guide to melasma.
Sun Damage vs. Melasma: What Is the Difference?
They can look similar. These are the differences that matter for treatment.
Sun Damage
Freckles, sun spots and dark patches wherever the sun has reached, along with skin that has lost elasticity. Unlike melasma, sun damage can potentially progress to malignancy, so it is important to have skin damage examined regularly.
Dark Spots by Name: Age Spots, Sun Spots and Dark Marks
Not every dark spot on the face is melasma. These are the other kinds patients ask about.
Age Spots, Sun Spots, Liver Spots
Three names for the same thing: flat brown spots left by years of sun, most often on the cheeks, forehead and hands. They are surface pigment, and they respond well to laser therapy.
Dark Marks After Acne
A brown or red mark left where a pimple or an injury healed, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It fades slowly by itself, and treatment speeds it. See acne and acne scars.
Freckles
Small, light brown spots that darken in the sun and fade in winter.
Uneven Skin Tone
A general blotchiness from years of sun, often with rough texture and fine lines. Microneedling with PRF renews sun-damaged skin.
What Causes Melasma?
The exact cause is not known. These are what bring it on and bring it back.
Sun and Heat
Sun exposure is the main trigger. Even a little unprotected sun can darken melasma again.
Hormones
Pregnancy, birth control pills and hormone therapy can all set it off. Melasma in pregnancy is often called the mask of pregnancy.
Family History
Melasma often runs in families.
Skin Tone
It is more common in women and in medium to darker skin tones, though anyone can have it.
How Are Sun Damage and Melasma Treated at Deluxe Esthetics?
The treatment depends on which condition you have, your skin type and how severe it is.
Laser Therapy
For age spots, sun spots and melasma. Laser light breaks up unwanted pigment so the dark areas fade. For melasma the settings are chosen with care, so the pigment is reduced without the heat darkening it again. About laser therapy
Microneedling with PRF
For sun-damaged skin, and a choice for melasma and darker skin tones because it uses no heat. PRF prepared from your own blood helps renew the skin and even its tone. About microneedling with PRF
Pigment Correction Serums
For melasma, laser treatment is paired with specially formulated pigment correction serums.
Bio-CARE
The Care Esthetics signature plan lightens dark spots, and age spot removal is its complimentary last step. About Bio-CARE
What Should I Expect From Melasma and Sun Damage Treatment?
Surface spots clear faster than melasma. Here is what a plan usually looks like.
Age Spots and Sun Spots
Surface pigment such as age spots may respond in 1 to 3 laser sessions.
Melasma
Melasma typically takes 3 to 6 laser sessions, spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart.
Sun-Damaged Skin
Microneedling with PRF for pigment and tone usually takes 3 to 5 sessions.
Keeping the Result
Sun protection every day. Melasma can come back when the skin is not protected from the sun.
Sun Damage and Melasma Before and After: What Results Can I Expect?
A clearer, more even tone. Drag the picture to compare.
Drag to compare
Can Sun Damage and Melasma Be Prevented?
Sun protection is the one step that helps both, and it protects the results of any treatment.
- Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every day, cloudy days included
- Wear protective clothing, such as hats and long sleeves
- Avoid the peak sun hours
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that melasma can come back when the skin is not protected from the sun.
Which Sun Damage and Melasma Treatment Is Right for Me?
A consultation is needed to find the right treatment for your skin type and the severity of your condition. Dr. Godko looks closely at your skin, explains what he sees and builds a plan around it.
It is honest to say that melasma has no permanent cure. It is lightened and then kept under control, and it is harder to treat than a sun spot. Darker skin tones carry a higher risk of dark marks after certain laser treatments, so the laser settings are adjusted to your skin type, and microneedling with PRF, which uses no heat, is often the better choice.
If you are pregnant, treatment waits. Sun protection does not.
- A plan based on your skin type and what you have
- Laser therapy, PRF microneedling and pigment correction serums
- An official Care Esthetics partner
- Performed by Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI
Who performs your treatment
Who Performs Your Treatment? Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI
Every treatment at Deluxe Esthetics is performed by Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI, an 8-Time Top Dentist. Perfecting smiles has always been his passion, and he came to see that true beauty extends beyond a radiant smile.
His search for natural, holistic solutions led him to Care Esthetics. Today he offers botulinum toxin, dermal fillers and PDO threads alongside the Care Esthetics treatments, Bio-CARE® and Bio-LIFT®.
More About Dr. GodkoSun Damage and Melasma Questions and Answers
Many patients come to us concerned about sun damage but unsure where to start. These are the questions they ask most.
What is melasma?
Melasma is a common skin condition that causes brown or gray-brown patches on the face. It is often triggered by sun exposure and hormonal changes.
What is the difference between sun damage and melasma?
Melasma is skin discoloration that typically shows as brown, tan or gray-brown patches on the cheeks, upper lip, forehead and nose. Sun damage ranges from freckles and sunburn to dark patches. Melasma is harmless, but sun damage can potentially progress to malignancy, so it is important to have skin damage examined regularly.
What causes melasma?
The exact cause is not known. Sun exposure is the main trigger, and hormonal changes such as pregnancy, birth control pills and hormone therapy can set it off. It often runs in families, and it is more common in women and in medium to darker skin tones.
What is the most successful treatment for melasma?
There is no single one. Melasma is most effectively addressed with laser therapy and specific pigment correction serums, and for darker skin tones microneedling with PRF, which uses no heat, is often the better choice. Daily sun protection is part of every plan, because without it melasma returns.
Can I permanently get rid of melasma?
Not always. Melasma has no permanent cure. It can fade when its trigger is removed, for example after pregnancy, and treatment can lighten it a great deal, but it tends to return with sun exposure. That is why daily sun protection is part of every plan.
How do you get rid of dark spots, age spots and sun spots on the face?
Age spots and sun spots are surface pigment, and laser therapy breaks that pigment up so the spots fade, often in 1 to 3 sessions. PRF and microneedling treatments can significantly improve sun-damaged skin and uneven tone.
Can sun damage cause melasma?
Sun exposure is one of the main triggers of melasma. Overexposure to the sun leads to too much melanin production, which shows as brown patches on the face.
How can I prevent sun damage?
Regular use of sunscreen, wearing protective clothing such as hats and long sleeves, and avoiding peak sun hours can help prevent sun damage.
How much does it cost to treat melasma?
The cost depends on the treatments in your plan and how many sessions it takes. You receive a personalized quote at your $49 in-person consultation, and the $49 is applied to your treatment.
Where can I get sun damage and melasma treated at Deluxe Esthetics?
We have offices in Lawrenceville, NJ and Skillman, NJ. Schedule online at www.deluxedentistry.com or call our Lawrenceville, NJ office at (609) 400-1393 or our Skillman, NJ office at (609) 303-2005.
Where to Go Next for Sun Damage and Melasma
Each treatment has its own page, with what it does, what a visit is like and results.
See everything we offer: Skin Conditions, Skin Treatments, Facial Esthetics.
Ready for a Clearer, More Even Tone?
Find out in one visit what you are dealing with and how it is treated. Your $49 in-person consultation with Dr. Maxim Godko, DDS, FICOI, is applied to your treatment.
Deluxe Dentistry & Esthetics, with offices located in Mercer County, NJ, in the town of Lawrenceville, NJ, proudly serving the towns of Robbinsville, Ewing, Hopewell Township, Trenton, Hamilton, Hightstown, West Windsor, Lawrence Township, East Windsor, Hopewell, Pennington, Princeton, NJ, as well as in Somerset County, NJ, located in Skillman, NJ, near Raritan, Bernards Township, Hillsborough, Montgomery, Rocky Hill, Peapack-Gladstone, Somerville, Bedminster, Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Far Hills, North Plainfield, South Bound Brook, Warren, Green Brook, Bernardsville, Manville, Branchburg, Watchung, Franklin Township, Millstone, NJ. Schedule online at www.deluxedentistry.com or call our Lawrenceville, NJ office at (609) 400-1393 or our Skillman, NJ office at (609) 303-2005.
Two Locations
Deluxe Dentistry & Esthetics
With offices in Lawrenceville, NJ and Skillman, NJ.
