Oct 16, 2008 8:54 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: The Quest For Even Skin Tone
Peel Can Lessen The Effects Of Melasma, Cholasma
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
An uneven skin tone is one of the main reasons people head to the dermatologist. For many women a common skin disorder caused by hormones makes having spot-free skin impossible.
Harsh creams and laser treatments can make the problem worse.
But now, an individually tailored and gentle approach makes an even skin tone just a peel away.
"I started seeing dark, not just spots, blotches -- real thick, dark, blotches, on my cheeks, you know, on my chin, on my nose," Sylvia Roldan Dohi told CBS 2 HD.
Dohi has a common skin disorder called melasma.
"And I was wearing really thick make-up all the time to try to cover it," Dohi added.
The blotchy facial discoloration is also known as cholasma or the mask of pregnancy.
While up to 70 percent of pregnant women get the condition, hormone changes from birth control and hormone replacement therapy can also contribute.
But the sun is the biggest risk.
"The single most important way to prevent melasma is to properly protect your skin from sun," Dr. Doris Day told CBS 2 HD. "And this means that if you're going for a car ride, if you're going for a quick walk around the block, or even if you're just looking out the window, put sunscreen on."
Day treats the condition with an individually tailored facial peel using retinoic acid, bleaching agents and an anti-inflammatory.
You keep the peel on for seven hours before washing it off.
"You know, at hour six it starts to tingle a little and you're like, 'ok, ready to remove it,' but it's never painful," Dohi said.
And it's safer than other fading treatments.
"Sometimes when we treat melasma with a laser, it can actually make the melasma worse," Dr. Day said.
The peel can be used for other skin discolorations and does much more than evening out skin tone.
"It improved the condition of my skin," Dohi said. "I would say 90 to 100 percent softer, firmer. All of the fine lines and wrinkles were pretty much gone. My skin had a glow to it."
If you're experiencing melasma, but stay out of the sun and hormonal changes aren't an issue, ask your doctor to test your thyroid. Imbalances in thyroid hormone levels as well as emotional stress can also trigger the condition.
If you have a persistent rash on your ears and cheeks, your cell phone could be to blame. Researchers say a skin allergy called "mobile phone dermatitis" is on the rise.
The red itchy rash is thought to be caused by an allergic reaction to the nickel surface on the face of the phones. Nickel is a metal found in products ranging from mobile phones to jewelry to belt buckles and is one of the most common causes of an allergic rash.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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