Apart from regular sunscreen use and protective clothing, certain vitamins and supplements may help reduce UV damage on the skin. These make them beneficial against sun-related disorders, such as melasma.
To wit, melasma affects approximately 5 million Americans, costing each individual as much as $83 per visit. Given its high burden of disease, supplements may help resolve most concerns naturally – for a cheaper price.
Polypodium leucotomos
Polypodium leucotomos is a fern native to South and Central America. It is a potent antioxidant that can help defend the body from the damaging effects of UVA and UVB.
Its efficacy was demonstrated in the study by Nestor et al. The researchers, who prescribed 240 mg of Polypodium leucotomos twice daily for 2 months, have shown that the supplement may help alleviate the damaging effects of UV radiation.
To determine its efficacy in melasma, researchers supplemented participants with Polypodium leucotomos at the same dose twice daily. This was given in conjunction with hydroquinone, which is the gold standard for melasma treatment. Results showed that melasma severity decreased after 8 and 12 weeks of use.
More than just melasma, the same study suggests that Polypodium leucotomos may also be helpful for premature skin aging, sunburns, and skin cancer.
Pomegranate Extract
Pomegranate extract, which is rich in antioxidants, has long been used in Ayurveda to maintain the three ‘dosha’. Today, modern medicine men are using it to address various medical conditions – one of which is melasma.
Melasma – which are brown facial patches – are usually brought about by hormonal changes (i.e, pregnancy) and sun exposure. As such, it may be prevented with the use of sunscreen – a feature that pomegranate extract has as well.
Pomegranate extract is not only rich in antioxidants that defend the skin from UV-induced damage – it also contains the polyphenol ellagic acid. Apart from inhibiting tumor growth, ellagic acid may also help lighten melasma spots – just like the conventional drug Hydroquinone.
Silymarin from Milk Thistle
Silymarin is one of the planet’s best naturally-occurring sunscreens, making it a must-have for melasma prevention and treatment. It does more than just protect the skin from UVA rays, as it also helps reduce the production of melanin – the pigmentation that brings about melasma.
Silymarin’s benefits for melasma are well-documented in a research of 96 adults. The participants were treated with different creams, one of which is Silymarin, twice a day for 4 weeks. Results showed that those who received Silymarin had smaller lesion size, melasma area, and symptom severity.
Grape Seed Extract
Grape seed extract (GSE), which is derived from dried and pulverized grape seeds, is known to help reduce UV-induced skin pigmentation. A mice study has shown that a GSE-rich diet helped lighten the guinea pigs’ UV-exposed skins after 2 months.
The same promising results were seen in the melasma study by Yamakoshi et al. The authors administered GSE to affected women for six months. Results showed that it helped reduce chloasma marks in 10 out of 12 subjects.
Green Tea
Green tea is a popular drink in Asia that has also become prominent in the western world. Compared to other beverages, green tea is one of the best sources of polyphenols at 112 mg/g. Due to this content, it may offer strong UV-protective effects on the skin.
According to Roh et al., these green tea polyphenols may help reduce the effects of pigmentation disorders (such as melasma) and premature skin aging.
In a study by Kim et al., results showed that green tea (at a dose of 12.5 mcg/ml) may help reduce melanin synthesis by as much as 18%. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, may also help reduce tyrosinase production, an enzyme that plays a role in increased melanin production.
Beta Carotene
Beta-carotene is a red-orange pigment that offers many health benefits. Carotenoid-rich foods or supplements help absorb UVA and UVB rays, which help them provide sun-protective effects to the body.
According to Stahl and Sites, beta-carotene may even offer long-term protection against the sun’s damaging effects on the skin.
As such, beta-carotene has been studied for its effects on melasma. One research involved subjects who applied beta-carotene lotion on the affected areas for 8 weeks. Results showed that regular use helped lighten marks in 20 out of 25 cases. One subject even managed to recover from melasma completely.
Lycopene
Lycopene, like beta-carotene, is a carotenoid. It is found in tomatoes and other sources that have striking red colors.
As a potent antioxidant, lycopene may help reduce the effects of UV light on the skin. According to a study, a dose of 16 mg/day can help increase the beneficial levels of carotenoids in the body.
Expectedly, lycopene-rich tomatoes were tested to see if they can reduce sunburn and other UV-related pigmentary disorders. Results showed that the experimental group (those who consumed 40 grams of lycopene-rich tomato paste with olive oil daily for 10 weeks) has a 32% improvement compared to the control group.
Similarly, subjects who consumed tomato extracts and tomato drinks had a 38% and 48% decrease in sunburn symptoms respectively. With these results, lycopene’s sun-protective effects may be deemed helpful in reducing melasma symptoms.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide, also known as Nicotinamide, is a form of Vitamin 3. According to Damian, this substance exerts some protection from the sun, whether taken orally or topically. Even at high doses, results show that it brings no or little toxicity to users.
Because of this effect, niacinamide has been tested for its potential against melasma. In a study by Navarrete-Solis et al., 27 patients were asked to apply 4% Niacinamide on one side of the face, and 4% hydroquinone on the other.
After 8 weeks of regular application, the melasma side showed a decrease in pigmentation by as much as 44%. It also showed lesser signs of inflammation and premature skin aging.
More importantly, the side effects were only present in 18% of the melasma half, compared to 29% of the hydroquinone side. With these results, the researchers believe that niacinamide may be a safer product to use for melasma.
Zinc
Zinc is one of the trace elements commonly used in sunscreens. Its derivative, zinc oxide, is said to perform better against UVA, which is responsible for cell damage in the skin. Unfortunately, UVA can penetrate the deeper layer (epidermis) of the skin. Such may explain the many adverse effects of the sun on the skin (melasma, skin cancer, etc.)
Zinc supplementation is often suggested for melasma since zinc deficiency is often seen in affected patients. According to Mogaddam et al., low levels of zinc are present in 45.8% of patients with melasma.
As such, Yousefi et al. devised a study to determine the effectiveness of zinc in melasma patients. Results showed that topical zinc helped decrease symptoms by as much as 15.5%. However, this is much lower than the hydroquinone group (20.8%).
Although this is the case, zinc yielded lesser side effects. The occurrence of post-inflammatory pigmentation was only 5.2% for the zinc group, compared to 30.9% for the hydroquinone arm.
Probiotics (Lactobacillus Johnsonii)
Probiotics such as L. johnsonii are bacteria known to be good for the skin. Not only can they help reduce acne, rosacea, and eczema, studies show that they may help minimize melasma patches as well.
A study by Marini et al. has shown that L. johnsonii, together with lycopene and beta-carotene, may help diminish sun-induced lesions.
The same results were seen in the study by Wanick et al. Participants were asked to wear sunscreen and take a supplement made with L. johnsonii, lycopene, and beta-carotene. Results showed that those who took the pill reduced their melasma signs at 8.5% (as per the Taylor scale) and 19.5% (according to the Melasma Area Severity Index) respectively.
The control group, which only wore sunscreen, worsened according to the Taylor scale. There is some improvement according to the Melasma Area Severity Index, but it was only 4.6%.
These results show appropriate supplementation, together with regular sunscreen use, may help improve melasma symptoms at a greater rate.
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