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Melanoma and melasma are skin conditions that affect most people. However, what do you understand about the two conditions? What is the difference between melasma and melanoma? Check out the explanation below.
What is melasma?
Melasma is a condition in which a portion of the skin becomes darker than the surrounding skin. It's not dangerous. In the medical world, melasma is referred to as hyperpigmentation. Melasma is common on the face, especially on the forehead, cheeks, and upper lip, and can appear on both sides of the face in almost identical forms. The skin color can range from brown to dark brown. The skin that is darkened by melasma will not be swollen and painful.
Melasma is a skin condition that is more common in women than men, and has often been linked to hormonal changes. That's why skin discoloration occurs frequently during pregnancy, when using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or birth control pills. Skin pigmentation during pregnancy is relatively common. Sometimes, this is called a "pregnancy mask" or "chloasma." This skin condition usually lasts until pregnancy ends and up to several months after birth.
The most important factor in the development of melasma is sun exposure. Using drugs that can make you sensitive to sunlight can increase your risk for developing melasma. This includes certain cosmetics and drugs used to treat ovarian cancer or thyroid cancer. Protecting the skin from the sun is an important part of treating melasma. Pregnant women or adults who use hormone drugs and don't protect themselves from sun damage can develop hyperpigmentation.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a skin cancer. Melanoma affects skin cells called melanocytes. These cells are responsible for skin color and also provide black patches. Under normal conditions, a mole is a benign skin tumor. Sometimes, a mole can turn into a malignant tumor. New moles can also be malignant at an early stage. Melanoma is a rare condition but can be quite dangerous. Melanoma can easily spread to other parts of the body.
You have melanoma if a mole on your body is suspected of being a symptom of a malignant tumor because of the following signs:
- Uneven shape - does not fit into the remaining half of the shape.
- The skin is torn, jagged, faint or scattered. Pigmentation can spread to the surrounding skin.
- Unique skin tone - an uneven color, with a mixture of black, brown, or tan, and maybe even white, gray, pink, red or blue.
- Change in size - usually protrudes and becomes deeper than 5 wide by 15 mm in diameter.
- Texture changes - can start with small changes in the skin and become tumors in an advanced stage.
- Bleeding - the skin may start to itch or bleed at a later stage.
From the article above, you will know more about the difference between melasma and melanoma. Melanoma is more dangerous than melasma. So, if you experience signs of risk related to melanoma, go to your doctor right away. Many people die from melanoma skin cancer.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
