Are pigmentation spots and melasma the same?

Are pigmentation and melasma the same? I believe that many people want to know the answer to this question. Especially in recent years, people's life pressure has increased, coupled with serious air pollution, many women have a lot of spots on their faces, which has caused a lot of trouble in their work and life. Among them, melasma and pigmentation are two common skin diseases in daily life. Their appearance is very similar and it is easy to confuse them. So what is the difference between them?

Pigmentation is the uneven distribution of skin pigment particles, resulting in spots and patches that are darker than normal skin color. Excessive exposure to wind and sun, endocrine imbalance, chronic liver and gastrointestinal diseases, improper use of skin care products, etc. may all be causes of pigmentation. It can be treated with non-surgical and surgical methods.

Chloasma is also a common symptom in today's daily life. In most cases, the appearance of melasma is directly related to the patient's endocrine system, but there are also other factors. For example, if a woman is under too much mental stress for a long time, it may also cause the onset of melasma. This disease is divided into three types: central facial type. This type is also the most common, with lesions spread over the forehead, cheeks, upper lip, nose and part of the chin; cheek type. The lesions are mainly located on the cheeks and nose on both sides; mandibular type. The lesions are mainly located on the chin and occasionally invade the V-shaped area of ​​the neck.

The difference between melasma and pigmentation

Are there any identical things in the world? Of course everyone knows that there are none. Melasma and pigmentation are the same, but many people still think they are the same. Now let’s take a look at the differences between melasma and freckles.

1. From the definition

Melasma, also known as liver spots and butterfly spots, is a symptom of facial melanosis. It is caused by the increase of skin pigmentation that cannot be effectively and promptly removed and accumulates on the face. Because melasma does not cause any other discomfort to the body except for its unsightly appearance, people generally regard it as a common degenerative skin lesion.

Pigmentation refers to dark brown spots that appear on the face and spread across the face. In addition to affecting beauty and skin care, there are no subjective feelings or other effects.

2. From the characteristics of spots

chloasma

1. They occur on the sacrum, forehead and around the mouth of the face, and are mostly symmetrical and butterfly-shaped, so they are also called "butterfly spots".

2. When it first occurs, it is light and invisible, but over time, it will become darker and darker. The color changes from light gray to dark red.

3. The size is uncertain, the edges of the black spots are clear, the surface is smooth, there are no inflammatory mediators, and there is no itching or pain.

4. Women who often use birth control pills or are pregnant will have "pregnancy spots" on their faces, which is also a type of chloasma.

5. Women with chloasma often have menstrual disorders, premenstrual breast swelling, or chronic symptoms.

6. Male patients with chloasma often suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances.

7. Sun spots caused by excessive direct sunlight are also a type of melasma.