The dark patches on your cheeks and forehead are melasma, and the single biggest thing that deepens them is sunlight, even the light through a window or on a cloudy day. Pregnancy hormones prime the skin; UV pulls the trigger. Daily sun protection is the one habit that changes how melasma behaves.
Why does melasma appear in pregnancy?
Melasma is the soft brown or grey-brown patches that show up on the cheeks, forehead, upper lip and the bridge of the nose, usually in the second half of pregnancy. Rising oestrogen and progesterone nudge the skin's pigment cells into overdrive, so they make more melanin than usual. It's so common it has an old nickname, the mask of pregnancy. Your skin is responding to hormones, not doing anything wrong.
What actually makes the patches darker?
Sunlight, more than anything. This is the part most people miss: hormones prime the pigment cells, but ultraviolet (UV) light is what pulls the trigger, day after day. The light that reaches you includes:
- Bright sun on the commute or the school run.
- Cloudy days, because UVA passes straight through cloud.
- Daylight through a car or office window.
- Heat and glare from cooking and screens, to a smaller degree.
It's why melasma often looks worse in summer and after a holiday, and why it's slow to fade when sun exposure carries on unchecked.
How do I protect my skin from UV in pregnancy?
Sun protection is the single habit that changes how melasma behaves, and it's pregnancy-safe. The category that does the work is sunscreen, worn every day:
- Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen that covers both UVA and UVB. Mineral formulas built on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sit on top of the skin and are widely considered a gentle choice in pregnancy. Our own Retreat Sunscreen is exactly this: SPF 50, PA++++, broad-spectrum, with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as its only filters and no chemical ones.
- Apply it every morning, rain or shine, as the last skincare step before makeup, and reapply through the day if you're out for hours.
- Add physical cover: a wide-brimmed hat, a dupatta or scarf, sunglasses, and the shady side of the street.
- Keep it up indoors near windows and while driving; daylight reaches you there too.
Whichever you choose, the one that works is the one you'll actually wear every morning. If you'd like ours, Retreat Sunscreen is a mineral SPF 50, PA++++ formula made for daily wear in pregnancy and after; the daily habit is what changes how melasma behaves.
What helps the patches fade?
Patience does a lot of the work: much of pregnancy melasma lightens on its own in the months after birth, as hormones settle. While you wait, gentle and consistent beats strong and occasional:
- Daily sun protection, without gaps. This is what lets any fading actually hold.
- Gentle, hydrating skincare. Skip harsh scrubs that leave skin raw and more reactive.
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding, leave the strong prescription lighteners (like hydroquinone) and retinoids unless your doctor guides you. Specificity is the point: our own approach uses no retinoids and no hydroquinone. For the split verdict on one common ingredient, see our honest take on kojic acid in pregnancy and after.
Once you've finished breastfeeding, the rules ease and a dermatologist can offer more. For the body, a cosmetic tone-supporting moisturiser like Hydraheal Lotion can help the look of even tone as skin recovers; a support, not a fix. And if you want the bigger picture, the glow and the patches come from the same hormones, which we unpack in the glow and the patches.
When should I see a doctor?
Melasma itself is harmless. But have any pigmented spot checked if it changes shape, colour or size quickly, bleeds, itches, or has an irregular border; those aren't features of ordinary melasma. And if the pigmentation is weighing on you, a dermatologist can build a safe plan, especially after delivery. Asking early is never the wrong move.
