Today I will be talking and reviewing Meladerm in regards to how good it is, what is used for, subjective feel and price.
Meladerm has been with us for nearly 20 years. It’s been manufactured by a company called Civant.
This is a very well known anti pigmentation cream for face.
Meladerm has been marketed mainly for pigments. We’re talking about conditions such as Chloasma, which is Melasma, freckles, sun damage, hyperpigmentation from acne as well as dark circles around the eyes and around the neck area.
Meladerm is especially good for Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) as well as Melasma.
Table of Contents
Review of Meladerm Anti Pigmentation Cream For Face
Let’s go through what this product contains.
Just as a background, the most potent skin brightening agent we know is called hydroquinone. It is a prescription for any concentrations above 2%.
It’s tightly regulated in many parts of the world. This is because hydroquinone can have side effects if it’s used in too high concentration or if it’s used for a long period of time.
It can cause what’s known as ochronosis, which is darkening of the skin. Additionally, it can cause what’s known as tachyphylaxis, which means when you start using the hydroquinone, if it works well, over time your tolerance builds up, which means you have to use more, more often. And that’s not a good thing.
Let us go through what Meladerm is, what it contains and how it can help your skin.
First of all it contains vitamin A, which is retinol. It actually works by increasing the turnover of your skin and that can decrease pigmentation. It can actually decrease pigmentation by inhibiting tyrosinase (an enzyme present in tissues that catalyzes the production of melanin and other pigments).
Meladerm also contains vitamin B3 or Niacinamide. That works as an anti-inflammatory. For certain skin conditions, for example, acne, it can actually decrease inflammation and hence can reduce the amount of skin color changes.
In the case of acne, it’s either red, which is Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE) or brown, which is Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
When it comes to actives, they are vitamin A, vitamin B3 and vitamin E. This last vitamin works as a free radical scavenger, so things like UV lights, pollutants, and all of those that can actually make the skin pigmented.
What else is in this formulation?
There are 10 active ingredients. It contains alpha hydroxy acid. In this situation it contains both lactic acid as well as citric acid.
They don’t tell us the actual concentrations, but nevertheless, it contains AHA, which in the context of pigmentation works as an exfoliating agent.
The other super good thing with Meladerm in context of safety is that it contains botanicals, such as Mulberry root, Bearberry and Licorice.
Those 3 actually can inhibit pigmentation. There are not many scientific based, double blinded, studies but there are a few publications which show that botanicals have advantages, especially when it comes to pigmentation.
That’s how Meladerm works. Not as good as hydroquinone, but far, far safer.
How to employ this skin pigmentation cream.
If you have melasma or skin pigmentation from other causes, the first thing you should do is active de-pigmenting phase. That includes things like lasers, topicals including hydroquinone as well as ascorbic acid and kojic acid (present in Meladerm).
Once you have a good improvement with the de-pigmenting phase, you need to start the maintenance phase. This is where creams like Meladerm come in.
This is not as good as de-pigmenting, but this can help reduce rebound. This is how I actually incorporate this in my practice.
One of the things we can do in regards to pigmentation is using a sunscreen two to three times a day together with broad hats. These form a cornerstone of all de-pigmenting treatments.
You can easily get Meladerm because you can buy it on the Internet. In fact, it’s more accessible than getting a compound prescription from a dermatologist.
What are my thoughts about Meladerm anti pigmentation cream for face?
When it comes to skin science, I give it 4 out of 5. The reason being is that when you’re looking at skin science, the use of retinol and niacinamide is well-proven. There are many scientific papers that prove their effectiveness.
But when it comes to the botanicals, things like Licorice, Mulberry root and Bearberry, there are articles out there but most of them are done by the company itself. It’s not really a peer-reviewed, a placebo controlling, or a double-blind study. That’s why I give it 4 out of 5.
When it comes to ease of use, once again, 4 out of 5.
The reason being is that when you read the product information, they talk about skin sensitivity and that it should not be used during pregnancy because of a retinol, as well as irritation.
You start small area first and then if you can tolerate that, you can increase its use.
So when it comes to ease of use, it’s not the easiest cream to use. It’s not like using the moisturizer or using a sunscreen. You actually have to think about certain things.
When it comes to compatibility, I also give this 4 out of 5. The reason being is that it contains actives, retinol and alpha hydroxy acid that can potentially cause irritation.
Once again, start slow, for example, every second night to increase tolerance. Also do a test patch. And for areas around your eyes, be very cautious with extreme use.
When it comes to subjective feel, I give it 4 out of 5 (yes, I know, I’m giving lots of fours). The reason being is that, personally, I feel it a little bit sticky when I apply it.
The other thing is even though it’s got no added fragrances, it actually smells a little bit off. Unlike some creams where it dissipates within 60 seconds, this lingers about five minutes or so.
When it comes to package, once again it’s four out of five. The reason being is that it comes as a pump dispenser.
This have advantages such as it seals from the outside environment, like the air and sunlight, and that’s very important when you’re using anti-pigment creams because they can get oxidized.
The downside about using the pump is that you waste anywhere between five to eight percent of your product in that little pump packing. Because this is a 50 mil preparation, you’re wasting about 3 mills of the product.
Finally price. It costs $49.99. It is a little bit pricey. However, there is an option to save $20 if you buy two packs.
So, do I recommend this anti pigmentation cream for face?
Yes, I do. You will benefit from it, especially in the maintenance phase.
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Here are some results:
How to get rid of melasma on face
Rebecca is a licensed aesthetician and certified laser technician with almost 15 years experience in the dermatology. Her life-long passion is making people look good and happy.