treat melasma : 7 Laboratory examination

Melanin can be seen in the epidermis or dermis using Wood rays (wavelength 340-400 nm). Epidermal pigment will changed when examined with Wood rays are not in the dermal pigment. In the dermal, will melanin appear black blue. On someone with dark brown skin-black, with checks ray lesi Wood does not appear on the patient so that this referred to as type intermediet.
Usually there is no specific laboratory examination for melasma. Tiroid inspection functions can be done if there are indications. Examination with the Wood-ray can help in determining the location of pigment in the epidermis or dermis. In the case of some pigment found in both locations.

According Supardiman (2007) support the examination can be done on people with melasma are: 6
1. Histopatologik examination. With histopatologik examination, can be 2 types hipermelanosis, namely:
a. Epidermal Type: increase the amount of melanin found mainly in the suprabasal layer of basalt and, sometimes in the stratum spinosum to stratum korneum. Cells that contain melanin is concentrated melanosit, cell-cell layer and suprabasal basalt, keratinosit cells and stratum korneum. In most cases, a number of melanosit not increased. Nevertheless, melanosit appear larger, more dendritic and more active.
b. Dermal type: there is makrofag bermelanin around the blood vessel in the dermis and the top down. At the top of the dermis there is a focus infiltrat.
2. Electron microscope examination. Electron microscope examination provides a description ultrastruktur melanosit in the basalt layer increases.
3. Examination with the Wood-ray (wavelength 340-400 nm). Examination with the Wood-ray can be divided into 4 types, namely:
a. Epidermal type: lesi see more color contrast
b. Dermal type: lesi color contrast does not increase
c. Type mix: lesi have increased the contrast, there is not
d. Type not clear: the Wood-ray, lesi not become clear, whereas with the usual ray clearly visible. Usually occurs in people with dark brown skin color, where the Wood lamp examination does not localise pigment.