Is a photofacial good for melasma?

A reader with melasma wants to know first whether a photofacial is even meant for it.

Melasma is on DermNet's list

DermNet's page on intense pulsed light therapy lists melasma among the targets: "age spots, freckles, flat pigmented birthmarks and other skin discolouration problems such as melasma". So melasma appears in the source as a problem IPL is used for, next to simpler marks like freckles.

One word of caution on the question

Being listed does not make a photofacial the right choice for every patch. The same list holds several different marks, which is why a provider should confirm what you have before you start.

Melasma research

A place to see how treatments for melasma are discussed is the review Evidence-Based Treatment for Melasma: Expert Opinion and a Review on PMC. DermNet also has a page on pulsed dye laser treatment for comparison.

Photographs for the consultation

Photograph the patch now and bring the pictures to the consultation. Readers in St. Johns, Florida, can bring those pictures and ask what the patch is before any plan is made.