Abstract
Pigmentation disorders, particularly in the facial area, are among major psychosocial problems the management of which is often provided by a dermatologist. These disorders may adversely affect the patient’s quality of life.
Differential diagnosis involves a rather large number of conditions that may result in pigmentation changes. In addition to locally-acting factors, inborn errors, manifestations of systemic disease, or effects of medication use all have to be considered.
The paper provides a brief overview of issues concerning melasma and its treatment options.