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This review consolidates current evidence highlighting the instrumental roles of estrogen and progesterone in modulating melanogenesis. These hormones regulate melanocyte activity via genomic and non-genomic signaling pathways, impacting key enzymes and transcription factors critical to pigment synthesis. Furthermore, crosstalk between hormonal signaling cascades exacerbates hyperpigmentation, contributing to the development of melasma. Therapeutically, targeting endocrine pathways is a promising yet investigational approach, as long-term clinical data remain scarce. Interventions such as receptor modulators and metabolic inhibitors may offer potential for reducing melanin production. Elucidating these endocrine mechanisms provides essential insights for developing more effective and personalized therapeutic strategies for melasma.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms262210856","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,10]],"date-time":"2025-11-10T08:57:55Z","timestamp":1762765075000},"page":"10856","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Hormonal Crosstalk in Melasma: Unraveling the Dual Roles of Estrogen and Progesterone in Melanogenesis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-0522-5623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jian","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Basic Medical Sciences, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China"},{"name":"Yunnan Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Chronic Disease in Prevention and Treatment, Kunming 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