Worsening melasma and also have rosacea – what can I do?
You bring up a really great point. And recently at the Paris IMCAS conference there were several speakers from the mid east and asia who made the point that, in their opinion, we do not biopsy enough in the west for pigment problems.
There are many diseases that can cause an increase in pigment on the face including reactions to certain medications. I always vote for an accurate diagnosis before treatment (as much as humanly possible) because otherwise treatment is just a very educated guess. What if your pigment is not melasma? Doctors and patients tend to shy away from biopsies on the face due to fears about scars. But, many times a biopsy can be done leaving a tiny (2-4 mm) scar that is virtually invisible. You may want to talk your board certified dermatologist about a biopsy. Melasma can usually be differentiated from a medication reaction or an adrenal problem or sun damage, etc. with a biopsy. It’s worth thinking about.
I know of no data on the sports home device red, infrared issue and would hestitate to offer an opinion on this. Dr. I