Melasma in the male: a less well recognised entity

An otherwise healthy man of Southeast-Asian descent aged in his mid-30s presented with non-pruritic hyperpigmented patches involving the face for over 12 months (Figure). Clinically, the findings were consistent with melasma, characterised by brown or dark brown hyperpigmented patches with demarcated or ill-defined borders, involving the face (zygoma and cheeks) bilaterally. There was no history or clinical features suggestive of diagnoses such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, drug-induced pigmentation or photosensitivity, or actinic lichen planus.