Recognizing melasma (chloasma, pregnancy mask)

Recognizing melasma

• Melasma can be epidermal, dermal or mixed

1. However, Wood’s light does no reliably define the depth of pigment
2. Reflectance confocal microscopy is a more definitve method of doing so.

• Clinical Assesment of melasma is done through MASI (Melasma Area Severity Index)

Melasma (Chloasma) (Pregnancy Mask): Differential Diagnosis:

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
• Drug-induced (minocycline…)
• Frictional melanosis
• Nevus of Ota
• Solar lentigenes (considered to be flat seborrheic keratosis according to some authors)

Contributors:

Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland

Bibliography: Katsambas A (Conflicts of Interest: Abbott, Janssen-Cilag, Leo Pharma, Merck, Schering-Plough). Melasma: Pathogenesis and Treatment. 70e Réunion annuelle de l’AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) – San Diego, California, United States of America (USA)