How to improve melasma: a step-by-step plan
You can make visible progress with melasma without a drawer full of products. Follow the weeks in order and resist the urge to skip ahead.
Week 1: baseline and simplify
Scan or photograph cheeks, forehead, upper lip and chin. Strip the routine to vitamin C in the morning and gentle cleanse at night, plus SPF. Switch to a tinted mineral SPF 50 and reapply every two hours outdoors.
Week 2: add one active
Introduce tranexamic acid. Start daily after a few days of every-other-day use, morning or evening; typical sensation: light and non-stinging for most skin.
Everything else stays the same so you can attribute changes.
Week 3: hold steady
Resist adding more. If skin is comfortable, you can raise frequency by one night. If it stings, drop back — heat and visible light can bring it back, so tinted mineral SPF and shade are as important as actives.
Keep avoiding waxing affected areas and high-heat facials without protection.
Week 4: review and decide
Compare week-one and week-four scans of cheeks, forehead, upper lip and chin. A full verdict needs three months before shifts are visible, and maintenance continues year-round, so decide whether to continue, not whether to quit.
If progress is stuck, change one factor — for example azelaic acid in place of the current active — and restart the clock.
Your weekly zone checklist
Whole-face impressions hide progress. Check each of these zones on its own, in the same light, once a week.
Strengths, timing and clashes at a glance
If a label matches any of these, you already know the starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Can I speed up improving melasma?
Not safely by adding strength. Consistency and sun protection move things faster than intensity; heat and visible light can bring it back, so tinted mineral SPF and shade are as important as actives.
What if week two makes it worse?
Pause the new active for a few days, then resume at half the frequency. Mild adjustment is normal; burning is not.
Should I see someone if nothing changes?
Yes, after a full cycle (three months before shifts are visible, and maintenance continues year-round) or sooner for any new patches that need an exact diagnosis and tailored treatment.