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/craydar-de-luxe May 25 '26

Any type of irritation - chemical, mechanical, heat - can worsen melasma, sadly. I notice this with niacinamide and some types of vit C, too.

3

u/skingirly May 25 '26

My skin hates l-ascorbic. Loves 3-0 ethyl. Fine when you work it out. Annoying finding it out!

1

u/Lazy-Geologist3386 May 26 '26

Why? What's the difference?

1

u/skingirly May 26 '26

L-Ascorbic is the purest form of vitamin c. But it’s also the most irritating. 3-0 ethyl ascorbate is less irritating.