The short explanation
Brown or grey-brown patches on the cheeks, forehead, upper lip or nose are often melasma. It is common in women with medium to darker skin, and is triggered or worsened by sunlight, pregnancy, and hormonal contraception. It is harmless in itself but can be distressing, and it tends to come back. Daily sun protection is the foundation of treatment: a broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapplied, plus shade and a hat or dupatta. Without it, other treatments rarely hold.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- A doctor or dermatologist can prescribe creams that lighten patches, and there are procedures, but results vary and melasma often returns with sun exposure. Pregnancy-related melasma may fade after the birth.
- Other conditions can cause dark patches, including pigmentation after acne or eczema, and fungal infections; a new, changing, or irregular dark spot needs checking as a separate matter.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you whether your patches are melasma or something else, or which treatment suits your skin. Some creams that are widely sold can harm the skin, so treatment is worth agreeing with a clinician.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Is this melasma, or could it be something else?
- What sun protection do you recommend for my skin?
- Which treatments are suitable, including if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
- Should I change my contraception?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
- See a clinician within days for a dark spot or mole that is new, changing in size, shape or colour, bleeding, itching or has an irregular edge.
- Book a routine appointment for patches that are bothering you, or skin irritation from a product you have been using.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Melasma MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
- Skin conditions MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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