Darker Skin Tones
Typically, those with fairer skin tones are more likely to develop skin disorders compared to those with darker skin. However, melasma is a different situation. While darker skin tones are still better protected from the sun’s rays, they are still much more likely to get melasma compared to those with fairer skin. The patches can also depend on the skin tone, with some patches being brown, and some being gray. The differences can be subtle, and there are typically no harmful side-effects with melasma, so there’s little to worry about. While some might want to get rid of their melasma, it is relatively harmless.
Melasma is generally more common in tropical environments, which typically have a majority of darker skin tones. The skin has different layers, with one layer (the epidermis) containing cells called melanocytes. Depending on specific conditions, these cells can produce more melanin than usual, which typically results in melasma. The way the melanocytes react to various bodily processes (and climates) is how it eventually develops into a skin disorder.
