| 5 star (8) | 62% | |
| 4 star (3) | 23% | |
| 3 star (1) | 8% | |
| 1 star (1) | 8% |
K8 (Kissimmee) on 04/12/2013: 
Besides my diet, my daily oral supplements include MSM, GSE, ACV, Matcha-green tea. MSM and GSE are very bitter if not taken correctly. The trick to taking those two with the bitter taste is to have the MSM powder in a spoon, squeeze some GSE drops on top of the powder and place the whole thing in your mouth then immediately wash it down with OJ or Grapefruit juice. OJ or grapefruit juice is packed with Vitamin C and vitamin C helps absorb MSM better.
Topically, I cleanse and exfoliate my face twice a day with regular facewash and a toothbrush. I am using O--y regenerist and an old, soft bristle toothbrush. First, I wet my face with warm water to open up pores and then apply face was to the toobrush and work in circular motion on my face for a good 5 minutes and rinse, pat dry and apply vitamin E oil. I don't put alot of vitamin E oil since it is heavy and oily. I am only using 1-2 drops, rub it in my hands and apply to both my face and neck.
For daytime, I am also using physical suncreen after vitamin e oil. There are 2 types of suncreen, chemical and physical. Make sure it is physical, which contains Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium. These are the ingredients that can prevent melasma from getting darker when exposed to sun.
For nightime, I exfoliate then apply a cream for melasma and vitamin E oil. One thing I forgot to mention. I also drink 1 teaspoon of extra virgin coconut oil a day. This is excellent for hair and skin. I hope someone can benefit from my remedies and good luck! :)
Pj (Lfp) on 09/03/2012: 
My melasma began about 10 years ago. After reading the many posts on this site, most helpful was by Maria of Dallas in regards to an inside/outside approach. My melasma is 50-60% lighter today. The only diet change I made was to STOP drinking black tea (advised in reducing melasma). I switched to non-caffeniated to help get the grapefruit seed extract down.
Here's the treatment I designed for myself with YOUR help, and today has been exactly one week.
-1 ____ Multi Vitamin
-1000 mg of Vitamin C
-3x per day of 15 drops: Grapefruit Seed Extract (liquid). I use mint or chamomile tea to get this down as it's very bitter and I'm unable to take with water.
-Before shower, on a cotton pad, mix apple cider vinegar (50/50, diluted with water) with liquid grapefruit seed extract and rub on off - DO NOT scrub or you'll burn your face causing extra stress which darkens the skin. Just rub on very generously and let it dry - like a toner of sorts. Your melasma turns darker at first when you apply the apple cider vinegar, and then lightens upon drying. I leave on until I feel a slight stinging feeling, and then immediately rinse off in shower. After shower, I reapply ONLY the apple cider vinegar and let dry. Then I use Castor Mineral Oil an massage into face. Afterwards, apply your daily lotions, make-up (Bare Minerals make-up is great as it includes sunblock in all products: concealer, foundation, veil so you get multi-layer sun protection) etc as usual. I also apply extra sunblock throughout day and use a hat when outdoors.
-Before bed, wash face to remove make-up. I use cleanser. Then apply apple cider vinegar (50/50 diluted with water), again followed by Castor Mineral Oil massaged into my face.
This has been my daily routine for 7 days now, and I've seen 50% improvement.
Ingredients you will need: Grapefruit Seed Extract in liquid form, Multi-vitamin, Vitamin C, Apple Cider Vinegar, Castor Mineral Oil, cotton pads, sunblock, hat,
I really hope this is helpful to someone as you all were extremely helpful to me.
Mama_moni (Burnaby, Bc) on 08/12/2012:
I feel guilty in a way for being so obsessed about this; vain even. But like every woman, I want to look my best and realize that your face is what people see first.
So after studying all of these posts I purchased the following: Grapefruit Seed Extract (2 a day; 15 drops), Acidophilus (1 at lunch), Zinc (1 at lunch), Milk Thistle (2 before bed). I also use Apple Cider Vinegar as a toner (diluted) in the morning and before bed.
After two weeks, I am heartened at the changes I am seeing. My children confirm that not only is the melasma noticeably lighter but that it is breaking up on my cheeks and chin. You can actually see my normal skin colour coming through. The remaining spots on my forehead are stubborn but I will see this through.
Cheers!
Sarah (---, Qatar ) on 09/28/2011:
Secondly, I took up sunblock religiously. I apply avene emulsion 50 15/30 before sun exposure without fail. If I have to go out again and its been arond 2 hours, I reapply. If I can avoid the sun, I do.
Its been 3 laser sessions ( I might need 2 more ) and 4 months of sunblock use, and voila I have seen amazing results. The progress may be slow to completely rid of darkness but you will notice changes in skin color immediately after 2 weeks with sunblock application alone. Keep at it and you will be soon as happy as I am. :)
Anna (Tehran, Iran) on 07/24/2011:
I am Anna Farahmand (researcher you can find me on the web) and you answer how to stop melasma in brief:
1- Fresh lemon juice dry fast, so best cheap composite to brightening skin is a mixture of fresh lemon juice with equal amount of glycerol. Also you can eat lemon juice as syrup as well as vinegar to intake enough vitamin C.
2-copper can make pigmentation. So it is good remedy to get rid of gray hair. Nutrition copper bomb is walnut. It can reverse aging if you take 6% of your calorie intake from this nut and make your hair better but also make hyper pigmentation.
3-spinach and onion are best to clear your skin from inside. Onion has enough MSM. Although you can take small amount of MSM medically.
4-nuts have much all minerals you need which are critical for your skincare.
5-if you notice, melasma is mostly visible on your face and your paw, it is because of sun. That's why Muslim women who wear scarf have a better skin, in the other hand they don't go out much time. But if you have pigmentation on all of part of your body without going exposure to sun, you can't heal it. Small size of melasma can be disappeared with laser therapy in many cases
Janet (Washington, Dc) on 05/20/2011: 
Worked Temporarily
The MSM and ACV have made my skin very soft and my complexion has cleared up a lot, but I have yet to see a huge difference in my melasma. I have started using my Retin-A and I'm hoping this will help speed up the process. If anyone has any ideas or advice I would be very appreciative. Has anyone had luck with the pycnogenol? If so, where did you get it?
Maz (Melbourne, Australia) on 02/01/2011:
My current regime is:
Scrub face twice daily (or more if can fit in) with Apple Cider Vinegar... Stinks... Rub in undiluted to the affected areas until cannot bear the stinging anymore... scrub hard.
Taking following vitamins daily:
1 zinc tablet, 1 selenium tablet, 1 vitamin b3 tablet, 4 vit c tablets, 2 pure msm capsules
Castor Oil ..... massage onto face after apple cider vinegar scrub.
Something is happening - some areas have lightened a lot, other areas are lightening but not so quickly.
I have had comments that I look 'fresh'
I'm not sure what is helping whether it is all of the above or one thing in particular.
I am not seeing the 'miraculous' overnight success that other have talked about. This is the most encouraged I have ever been though. I will continue this regime for at least 3 months to see if there is continued improvement.
Good luck to everyone fighting the same problem
Cheers, Maz
Maz (Melbourne, Australia) on 01/20/2011: 
It's been a while since I last wrote to EC. I have been battling melasma for years now and it has become my life mission to find a cure. I have tried everything cosmetic with disastorous results for my face and my wallet. The worst experience I had was IPL laser which made my melasma 100 times worse.
I've tried various concoctions from EC including MSM, Grapefruit, hydrogen peroxide to little avail, , , that being said I've probably not stuck to anything long enough to see a result... I'm a firm believer if there is no improvement in a few weeks there isnt going to be.
I am now on a regime of Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin C, zinc and horseraddish as these are about the only things I've not tried, It's been 1 week since I started using ACV and maybe there is a little improvement but nothing as dramatic as the results some have posted. I guess we all have to trial and error various methods to find the magical one that will work.
I promised myself if I find a solution I will tell everyone... so for those of you still battling this I feel your pain and will keep you posted on any improvements I see. Cheers, Maz
Tanya (Los Angeles, Ca) on 08/07/2009:
Grapefruit seed extract extra strength, three drops in water with a little juice twice a day. I have found this at most health food stores. With regular strengh you would want to use about 15 drops.
A prescription cream derived from vitamin A every other night on very dry skin. You wash, moisturize, wait 45 minutes to an hour and then use the cream to avoid irritation. It comes in cream and gel. I prefer gel as I am very oily.
On alternate nights I use a prescription hydroquinone cream that also contains some sort of acid and some steroid cream. I use this only on the brown spots and I do the same as with the other cream... wash, moisturize and wait 45 minutes to an hour. It's gotten a bad wrap, but it works for me. You MUST avoid the sun when using it or they will get worse! I plan to taper off and discontinue this cream when the spots are totally gone. I will report back and let you know if they come back. I know that this cream can't be used for extended periods of time.
IMPORTANT: I use a sunscreen containing a physical block EVERY SINGLE day. I say this is important because prior to using this sunscreen the spots would fade and then come back. It's a bummer, but you have to use sunscreen every morning. A physical block sunscreen will contain something like zinc, a physical block, rather than a chemical block. My doctor specializes in melasma and she suggested this. It works. Also, if you are gardening or hiking or at the beach, you MUST wear a hat. It's just part of your life now. You must accept it. Learn to love it.
Also, I discontinued the birth control pill which I believed started the whole thing in the first place. I had been on it for about twenty years with no problem and then I woke up one morning with brown spots all over my face. A giant one across my forehead. I believe my hormones shifted as some other thngs started happening like migraines, etc... these have stopped since stopping the pill. I now use a hormone-free IUD. It works well for me. But it does have copper and some people believe copper causes melasma for some people.
I do have another theory though. I got the brown spots basically overnight after getting an immunization shot for typhiod fever before going to Egypt. I have heard theories that certain medications like anti-seizure medication and anti-malaria medication can cause melasma. I have always wondered if this immunization caused the problem, but I don't know.
I have also improved my diet. It's not strict, but I eat less sugar and starches and more vegetables and fruits. I also consume less dairy now. I try to give my liver a rest now and then and not drink alcohol, but I do like my wine.
My melasma is almost completely gone. I am getting the compliments I used to get on my skin before the brown spots. This combo is what is working for me. I think it takes a lot of dedication to get rid of melasma, but I think the changes made are good for you anyway. It's a pain to wear sunscreen every single day and not get a tan, but you won't wrinkle or get skin cancer, so look at it that way. I was on the pill for a long time, but now I am wondering how good that was for me. And a healthy diet is always a good thing.
I think a combo of interior and exterior will fade the melasma in many people. Just one or the other probably won't work as well and just exterior probably won't do much for long if the interior problem is still there... like you keep taking the BC pills or going in the sun.
BTW, I did try several IPL treatments. Although they made my skin look good for a while I don't think they did anything for my melasma really. They probably aren't worth the money. not for me anyway.
Anyway, good luck!
JDW (Beverly Hills, MI) on 05/19/2009:
Here's what I use for the external that really seems to work. Exfoliate with clarisonic brush, use a favorite toner that works with your skin type. You can use Hydroquinone 4%, it works for me, but it makes me nervous, but it does work for me. I also used Meladerm, works well and no HQ. I do this every night, I never go to sleep with my makeup on!
I think the key is getting the proper nutrients inside and exfoliating every single day and it does take time but after months I am truly seeing a significant improvement. Put it this way, I don't want to cry now every time I look in the mirror. The IPL treatments put me over the edge that it made it so much worse. Now I am going to try the Grapefruit Seed extract and see what that will do for me. I know that in my younger years I was on the birth control pill, so I know hormones play a role, but my diet of sugar and junk food in my 20's and beyond has had an effect on my skin, I am sure. Now I am just trying to undo some of my past damage and I know I will get there with patience and time.
I just wanted to write to see if I could help someone else fight this annoying problem.
Good luck and I hope something I've said here helps.
JDW
