Those who suffer from any battle with their skin know that landing on a product or treatment that works well enough to allow you to go makeup-free is very few and far between. That’s why we’re grateful for Jenna Dewan Tatum‘s latest Instagram post, where she shares a shot of her porcelain skin—this time, however, she’s letting us know we’re not alone on our journeys to better skin.
Dewan Tatum shared that she, like 5 million American women, is affected by melasma, a stubborn type of hyperpigmentation. “Melasma is a condition where excess pigment is produced and deposited in the top layers of the skin,” explains Coral Gables, FL, dermatologist Janice Lima Maribona, MD. “It looks like dark, irregular, blotchy skin.” And Dewan Tatum shares, “Those who have melasma know it’s hard to manage.”
You May Also Like: Jenna Dewan Tatum Reveals Her Food Diary For Better Skin and Body
Dr. Maribona explains that when it comes to treating melasma, the more active ingredients you use the better. “But, in my opinion, not all at the same time,” she says, adding that the use of these acids can prevent the production and the transport of the pigment. “Chemical peels, lightening creams and resurfacing lasers have always been standard treatment for melasma,” New York dermatologist Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, shares. “Unfortunately, any treatment done too aggressively could actually make melasma worse.” Dr. Frank explains that current techniques now involve combining multiple lasers at low-level energy to get best results. “The new Pico technology, originally developed for tattoo removal, can now be used effectively in conjunction with other lasers to get ideal results.”
Your best bet is to schedule a consultation with your dermatologist, letting him or her know of your melasma, but you can also help to prevent and fade the discoloration at home. Look for products with high concentrations of lightening and clearing acids that have proven successful when it comes to fading melasma. “Good options include hydroquinone, arbutin, kojic, glycolic and salicylic acids, retinol and teutonic acid,” says Dr. Maribona.
