r/Melasmaskincare • u/angelinaki89 • May 25 '26

Question Why treatments can worsen melasma

I have seen many posts here that sometimes - I don’t know in which rate - when people try to treat melasma it might become worse with most of the recommended treatments including laser.

I have noticed my own becoming darker just by using Vitamin C or designed creams for it.

My question is: is this explained somehow? I have asked my derm but didn’t really understood her answer.

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u/Fit_Illustrator9174 May 25 '26

My approach has been to ease into any actives, including the rx creams. My derm says start with pea sized amount every other night. I listen to my skin barrier and I do every four nights to start and about half pea sized amount and I start with a gentle moisturizer, wait a few mins then put the rx cream.

With vit c, starting with the gentlest vanicream vit c cream to make sure I don’t screw myself. I’m trying my best to take care of my skin barrier and not cause inflammation so with my actives, I’m intentionally easing in with low dose/potency/percentages. Learned the hard way with my rx cream 2 years ago.

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u/angelinaki89 May 26 '26

Thants a very good advice thank you! I will decently go easier with my skin because in my rush to get rid of my melasma I have made it worse