Melasma is one of the most common pigmentary skin disorders. It usually affects women of darker skin types, pregnant women and usually people more exposed to the sun. There are many risk factors associated with melasma, other considered to be predisposing and others considered to be triggering the disorder, when predisposition is present. Still, there are many questions to be answered, in order to better understand its pathophysiology, which will finally lead us to better medication and less relapses of melasma. Jou rn a l o f Pi gmentary D is o rd ers World Health Academy

Morphea, also known as Localized scleroderma, is an idiopathic often self-limited, inflammatory disorder that causes fibrotic changes in the skin. Fibrotic, asymmetric plaques, usually 2-15 cm wide, characterize the disease. The active lesions may have erythematous or violaceous borders, whereas the inactive ones may result to hyperpigmentation. The thickening may expand to the subcutaneous tissue or may be to the lower layers of the skin, causing dysfunction at certain levels. There is no relevance to any systematic disease. Morphea usually evolves for several years and then degrades. Jou rn a l o f Pi gmentar y D is o rd ers