Melasma is one of the most persistent forms of hyperpigmentation. Driven by hormones, heat and sunlight, it often sits deeper in the skin and behaves differently from standard sun damage or uneven skin. Over-the-counter skincare rarely improves it long-term, because cosmetic skincare works only on the surface of the skin.
The Obagi Nu-Derm Melasma Treatment uses a doctor-led, prescription-strength skincare system to brighten the skin, refine tone and texture and target pigmentation on the face more effectively. Under the guidance of Dr Bela, dermatologist, your plan is tailored to your skin type, lifestyle triggers and depth of pigment. This structured medical routine aims to restore clarity, strengthen the barrier and create predictable long-term stability for a chronic condition that cannot be cured but can absolutely be managed.
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Melasma is not regular sun damage. It is a chronic condition shaped by hormonal changes, heat exposure, stress and UV light. It presents as patchy skin discoloration and uneven skin tone, and can intensify after pregnancy or during perimenopause. The condition behaves unpredictably, and without medical intervention, the skin tone often worsens in summer despite good SPF use.
Most cosmetic skincare products work only on the surface of the skin. Melasma lies deeper, in the basal layer of the epidermis. Without targeted ingredients that regulate melanin production and improve skin health from within, the dark patches continue to reappear.
The Obagi Nu-Derm System and Obagi Medical formulations are pharmaceutical-grade. The system helps brighten skin and even skin tone by increasing skin cell turnover and supporting long-term renewal. Hydroquinone in the prescription kit reduces pigment formation, while tretinoin accelerates skin cell turnover and exfoliating activity. This transforms the skin by increasing deeper renewal, improving overall skin tone and texture.
Hydroquinone is the most effective topical agent for melasma and hyperpigmentation. Under medical supervision, the ingredient safely targets pigmentation, dark spots and melasma by reducing excess melanin activity. Hydroquinone is used in cycles within the Nu-Derm® System and adjusted according to response and skin type.
Tretinoin enhances cell turnover, supports skin renewal and allows hydroquinone to work more effectively. It also helps improve uneven skin, refine tone and texture, and stabilise the skin long-term. Patients using Obagi Nu-Derm typically benefit from tretinoin as a cornerstone of their routine.
Your journey begins with a detailed skin consultation and Observe imaging, allowing us to review:
This creates an objective view of the skin, helping us design the best treatment for pigmentation and melasma.
Your Obagi skincare system is adjusted based on:
Your senior therapist prepares your personalised skincare regime, then Dr Bela reviews your imaging, confirms suitability for hydroquinone and tretinoin, and approves your final plan. You receive a written, step-by-step skincare routine including Nu-Derm products such as:
Strict daily photoprotection is non‑negotiable in any melasma treatment plan. We recommend a high‑protection, broad‑spectrum SPF (ideally tinted to cover visible light), applied generously every morning and topped up during the day if you are outside, along with hats and shade where possible. Without consistent protection from UV and visible light, even the best prescription skincare system cannot deliver stable, long‑term control.
Melasma is usually best managed with a multimodal approach. Obagi Nu‑Derm forms the topical core of that strategy, alongside strict daily photoprotection, barrier support and, in more resistant cases, carefully chosen adjunctive treatments such as peels, oral medications or device‑based therapies when appropriate.
Melasma is chronic but manageable. Your plan may transition to the Fx System, retinoids and specific skincare products that support long-term stability and protect the skin from UV and heat.
We reassess your progress using Observe imaging, adjust frequencies, refine exfoliation activity, and plan maintenance.
At Chiswick Clinic, every Obagi Nu-Derm Melasma Treatment begins with a free skin analysis using the Observe 520x device. The imaging reveals the depth and pattern of melasma, hidden pigmentation, redness and early ageing changes. It shows what lies beneath the surface, helping patients understand why prescription‑strength skincare is needed and what the Obagi Nu-Derm System can realistically achieve in the first few months.
Hydroquinone in the Obagi Nu-Derm System is always used in time‑limited, medically supervised cycles. Continuous long‑term use is avoided to reduce the risk of rare complications such as exogenous ochronosis, in line with current melasma guidelines.
Melasma needs careful, doctor-led treatment. Every Obagi Nu-Derm plan at Chiswick Clinic is reviewed and approved by Dr Bela, ensuring safe use of hydroquinone, tretinoin and other prescription-strength actives. This supervision reduces the risk of irritation or pigment rebound and keeps the routine progressing safely, supporting long-term stability for a condition that can easily flare without medical guidance.
The Obagi Nu-Derm System uses pharmaceutical‑grade ingredients that target the basal layer, where pigment cells become overactive. By increasing skin cell turnover and supporting deeper renewal, it helps brighten the skin, reduce pigmentation on the face and even skin tone. Many patients notice clearer, brighter skin and improved overall skin health within the first phase of treatment.
Obagi Medical formulations use pharmaceutical‑grade ingredients that reach deeper pigment pathways, support skin renewal and brighten the skin while improving uneven skin tone. Hydroquinone, tretinoin and the wider Nu‑Derm System work together to reduce dark spots, promote clearer tone and support overall skin health. Under medical supervision, this approach helps patients move from dull, uneven skin to a smoother, more even complexion in a predictable and clinically guided way.
Our 2025 Obagi Nu-Derm protocol reflects updated clinical research, dermatology guidance and real patient reviews. Many patients describe clearer tone, reduced dark spots and more predictable control of pigmentation when using Obagi products under medical supervision. This evidence‑based approach uses prescription‑strength skincare to brighten the skin, improve uneven skin tone and support long‑term melasma management. With pharmaceutical‑grade ingredients and a personalised plan, the system helps create steadier skin health, clearer tone and renewed confidence.
Cosmetic skincare sits on the surface of the skin and cannot reach the deeper layers where melasma develops. These products may brighten temporarily, but they cannot regulate melanocyte activity. The Obagi Nu-Derm System, by contrast, uses pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that act at the basal layer, making it far more effective for treating melasma and persistent hyperpigmentation.
Cosmetic products can support general skin health, but they do not transform tone and texture in the way prescription skincare can. For patients with melasma, Obagi provides a medical pathway rather than a cosmetic one, offering clearer, more measurable progress under professional supervision.
Chemical peels use controlled exfoliation to shed pigment‑laden keratinocytes and can noticeably brighten the skin. Superficial peels such as glycolic or modified Jessner peels are well‑studied adjuncts in melasma and can be very effective when used carefully on the right skin type.
The Obagi Nu‑Derm System works differently. Rather than relying on episodic resurfacing, it delivers a structured daily skincare system that regulates pigment production and supports ongoing skin renewal. Chemical peels can play a role in melasma care in general, but they are considered an adjunct rather than a stand‑alone solution, with Obagi Nu‑Derm forming the medical foundation.
Laser and light-based devices can improve certain forms of pigmentation, and carefully delivered low‑fluence protocols do have a role in melasma – particularly in more stubborn cases or when combined with medical skincare and other systemic treatments in specialist protocols. However, studies consistently show high relapse rates after laser monotherapy and there is a real risk of post‑inflammatory hyperpigmentation or rebound in darker skin types if treatments are too aggressive.
The Obagi Nu‑Derm System avoids heat altogether. It works at a biochemical level using prescription‑strength actives to regulate melanocyte activity and support controlled skin renewal. At Chiswick Clinic, Obagi Nu‑Derm forms the medical foundation; if lasers are needed later, they are introduced cautiously, in combination with prescription skincare and strict photoprotection – never as a first‑line, stand‑alone treatment for melasma.
Most at-home skincare routines focus on moisturising, exfoliating or brightening the surface of the skin. While they can support general skin health, they cannot reach the deeper layers where melasma forms, nor can they regulate melanocyte activity. This is why many people find that pigment returns quickly, even when using good-quality skincare products.
The Obagi Nu-Derm System offers something fundamentally different: a structured, medical-grade protocol using pharmaceutical-strength ingredients that work deeper in the skin. Under dermatological supervision, the system targets the root causes of melasma and supports long-term stability. At-home routines can complement Obagi later, but they cannot replace a medical treatment pathway for true melasma management.
Your imaging and initial plan are created by a senior therapist trained in the Nu-Derm skincare system for normal to oily and normal to dry skin. Your treatment is then medically approved by Dr Bela, ensuring the correct use of hydroquinone, tretinoin and all Obagi products.
Most patients see improvement within 6–12 weeks, with clearer tone and smoother texture.
Yes. When used in cycles and monitored by a dermatologist, hydroquinone remains a safe and effective treatment for pigmentation.
Yes. The system can be adapted for Fitzpatrick IV–VI with careful pacing.
Yes, with strict SPF use and potential adjustments.
Melasma is chronic, but stable long-term control is achievable with maintenance.
Lasers generate heat, which may worsen melasma. Obagi helps stabilise pigment before considering energy-based treatments.
We adjust the exfoliation step, slow the routine or increase hydration.
