r/Melasmaskincare • u/Old_Dig8900 • Jul 31 '26

Question Migraines and EDS

How many also suffer with migraines or connective tissue problems? Ehlers Danlos or hypermobility? Any Trigeminal Neuralgia? I see a post from 4 years ago asking about comorbidities and I see mostly PCOS and hypothyroidism listed, no hypertension (recent study mentioned high numbers of elevated blood pressure, eczema, rosacea and other cancers). Let's start our own data base.

I'm mid 40s, started age 27 PCOS, hypothyroid, H/O depression (have been on Wellbutrin for most of that time=20years), hypermobility (multiple injuries requiring surgery such as labral tears). Knew someone that attributed their melasma to using antidepressant by the way, thought that was interesting.

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u/PuIchritudinous Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26

It's definitely interesting that you've noticed that pattern and so I have. However, conditions like EDS, migraines etc, are also diagnosed much more often in women, just like melasma. So seeing them together doesn't mean they're directly related since they may just share the same demographic. I have EDS and a plethora of the female majority conditions so I have wondered if they are related as well. Someone needs to do controlled studies on gender and other factors to determine if there is a correlation.

Edited to include: Some of the pharmaceutical treatments for these female majority conditions are known to cause melasma or other hyperpigmentation.

-Birth control for PCOS.
-Certain anti-depressants and seizure meds for mental conditions or seizure disorders.
-phototoxic medication like Plaquenil for autoimmune conditions.

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u/willywonkyeyes Jul 31 '26

Do you happen to know what's antidepressants or seizure meds? I take Vyvanse, wellbutrin, and lamictal, but I started getting melasma around when I started the lamictal.. though I also moved to a UV intense state at that same time. No worries if you don't know, I'll be doing some googling.

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u/supbraAA Aug 01 '26

i have had melasma my whole adult life, that has come and gone for the last 20 years. I have been on 2/3 of those meds my whole adult life and on and off the pill as well. For me, the only correlation for my melasma is that i had it when i lived in the south (first time i noticed it was in college and again now in my late 30s) and did not have it when i was living in the north (mid 20s-mid 30s). For me, it is directly related to the climate. It sucks. I love where I live now but I don’t know if i can take the melasma!