Dr. Michelle Rodrigues

Dr. Michelle Rodrigues Dermatologist in Melbourne providing innovative, comprehensive and personalised care for adults and children.

Areas of expertise include pigment disorders, skin of colour, photoaging and aesthetic treatments in doverse skin types. Dr. Rodrigues is the director of Chroma Dermatology, Pigment and Skin of Colour Centre (Wheelers Hill, Doncaster). She also holds consultant dermatology the Royal Children's Hospitals and is a co-founder of Australia's first multi-disciplinary vitiligo clinic. Her areas of exper

tise include pigment conditions, skin conditions in skin of colour and laser surgery. She is also an interest in hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and acne scarring. Dr. Rodrigues brings her passion and knowledge gained in world renowned pigment and skin of colour centres around the world to the suburbs of Melbourne. For more information visit
www.drmichellerodrigues.com
www.chromaderm.com.au

Join the conversation:

05/08/2026

Exosome injections are everywhere. But here’s a question worth asking…

Can you identify an exosome product on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) that is approved for intradermal or subcutaneous injection for cosmetic skin rejuvenation or hair loss?

As of 31 July 2026, I have been unable to identify one.

That doesn’t automatically mean every exosome treatment being performed is unlawful, and it doesn’t mean exosomes have no future in dermatology.

But it does highlight an important distinction:

A treatment being offered in a clinic is not the same as a product being approved for injection for that indication.

This conversation has become even more relevant after recent regulatory action overseas, with Saudi Arabia taking enforcement action over injectable exosome promotion and Qatar restricting injectable exosome therapies.

If you’re considering an exosome treatment, ask your practitioner:

✔️ What is the exact product?
✔️ Does it have an ARTG entry?
✔️ Is injection an approved route of administration?

Patients deserve transparency, evidence and informed consent—not assumptions.

👇 I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Have you been offered exosome injections?

Save this post so you know which questions to ask before treatment, and share it with someone considering exosome therapy.

👶 If I had $100 to spend at Chemist Warehouse for my child… this is exactly what I’d buy.As a dermatologist, these are t...
02/08/2026

👶 If I had $100 to spend at Chemist Warehouse for my child… this is exactly what I’d buy.

As a dermatologist, these are the products I actually recommend—not because they’re expensive, but because they work.

In this series I’ll cover:
🧴 Cleansers
💙 Moisturisers (emollients)
☀️ Sunscreens
🩹 Bandaids
🪥 Toothbrushes
🦷 Floss
💊 Plus the products I’d leave on the shelf…

There are so many products that look similar, but the ingredients matter.

If you’re a parent, this series could save you money—and possibly a few skin problems too.

👇 What should I review next?

Save this for your next Chemist Warehouse trip.
Share it with another parent.
Follow A/Professor. Michelle Rodrigues for fact not fluff

Some skincare ingredients are just better together. 👯‍♀️✨Think of these as the perfect pairs of dermatology — ingredient...
29/07/2026

Some skincare ingredients are just better together. 👯‍♀️✨

Think of these as the perfect pairs of dermatology — ingredients that complement each other, tackle different parts of the same problem, or simply make a routine work harder.

From pigmentation and acne to ageing and skin barrier support, knowing what to pair can be just as important as knowing what to use.

👉 Swipe to find your perfect pair.

💾 Save this for the next time you’re building your skincare routine.
📤 Share it with someone whose bathroom cabinet looks like a chemistry lab.
➕ Follow for evidence-based dermatology, pigmentation and skin of colour advice.

Which pairing surprised you most? 👇

27/07/2026

Dark skin DOES need sunscreen. But perhaps not for the reason you’ve been told. ☀️

Social media has turned sunscreen in darker skin into a debate between:

“Everyone needs sunscreen to prevent skin cancer.”
and “Dark skin doesn’t need sunscreen.”

Neither gives you the full story.

In very dark skin, melanin provides substantial natural protection from UV radiation, and UV-driven skin cancers are much less common than in fair skin.

But that doesn’t make sunscreen irrelevant.

For many people with deeply pigmented skin, some of the most important reasons for photoprotection are:

→ preventing and managing hyperpigmentation
→ melasma
→ post-inflammatory pigmentation
→ dark marks after acne
→ uneven skin tone
→ premature skin ageing

And there’s another layer of nuance: if pigmentation is your concern, visible light matters too — meaning the type of sunscreen you choose can be just as important as wearing one.

So perhaps we need to stop asking:

“Does dark skin need sunscreen?” And start asking:
“What are we trying to protect dark skin from?”

Because good dermatology shouldn’t give every skin tone exactly the same message.

Different skin. Different risks. Different reasons.

↗️ Share this with someone who has been confused by the sunscreen debate.

🔖 Save it for the next time you hear that sunscreen has exactly the same purpose for every skin tone.

And follow for evidence-based dermatology that actually includes darker skin.

24/07/2026

This research raises an exciting possibility.

One day we may be able to predict who is most likely to respond to vitiligo treatment using biomarkers—and develop therapies that actively encourage pigment to return, rather than simply suppressing inflammation.

The science is still evolving, but it’s an exciting direction.

23/07/2026

Part 2

🛑Stopping the immune attack may only be half the story.

🏕️Successful repigmentation also requires a “healing environment” that supports melanocyte survival and migration.

Think of it like growing a garden.

Removing weeds isn’t enough.

🌻You also need healthy soil.

For those wanting the detail; here are the four proteins discussed in the study.

1. TIM-1 (HAVCR1)
Higher baseline TIM-1 in lesional blister fluid predicted future repigmentation. The authors propose that lesions with higher TIM-1 are already developing an immunoregulatory environment, making them more likely to recover melanocytes.

2. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3)
Higher baseline TFF3 predicted repigmentation.
This may increase MMP-2 which facilitates
melanoblast migration from the hair follicle to epidermis which is one of the central mechanisms of NB-UVB repigmentation.
This potentially makes TFF3 a fascinating future therapeutic target.

3. NLRP1
Higher baseline NLRP1 predicted repigmentation.
This is a fascinating reminder that inflammasomes are not purely destructive and may also participate in tissue repair.

4. KRT5
The only plasma protein associated with repigmentation. KRT5 increased during treatment, particularly in the NB-UVB group.

5. SHISA-like protein (KIAA1644)
This one still needs to be studied further so we can understand its impact.

Remember. We have to do the weeding but it’s in vain without healthy soil. The skin environment is key for vitiligo repigmentation

21/07/2026

Why do some people with vitiligo regain pigment while others don’t?

For years we’ve focused on stopping the immune attack in vitiligo.

A new study suggests successful repigmentation also depends on creating the right environment for melanocytes to survive, migrate and grow again.

That changes how we think about recovery.

More in part two about the specific proteins involved

🚩 PIGMENT & SKIN OF COLOUR RED CARDS 🚩Some advice deserves a red card.IPL has a high rate of PIH and scarring in darker ...
16/07/2026

🚩 PIGMENT & SKIN OF COLOUR RED CARDS 🚩

Some advice deserves a red card.

IPL has a high rate of PIH and scarring in darker skin types. Sunscreen prevents burning, aging and hyperpigmentation in all skin types. Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition. Laser is helpful in maintenance of melasma not as a cure. Natural isn’t always better; allergy and effectiveness are some of the concerns I have with them. All skin requires barrier care so moisturizing is non-negotiable! I’m not a fan of at home LED! See my post about it! Hyperpigmentation is not a diagnosis.

Not because people should know better—but because they’ve often been given incomplete, outdated or incorrect information. #

Is there another Pigment Red Card you think deserves to make the list? Let me know below.

❤️ Save this post for future reference, and share it with someone who needs to see it.

Vitiligo Hyperpigmentation

12/07/2026

“It came back…”

Those are probably the four words I hear most often from patients with melasma.

The truth is, melasma is a chronic, relapsing condition. Even when your skin looks clear, the biological processes that drive pigmentation can still be active beneath the surface.

That doesn’t mean your treatment didn’t work.

It means your melasma needs a long-term management plan, not a quick fix.

The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is longer periods of clear skin, fewer recurrences, and milder flares over time.

This is why maintenance matters:
☀️ Daily photoprotection (including protection from visible light)
🧴 Ongoing maintenance skincare
🩺 Individualised treatment when flares occur
⏳ Patience and consistency

I always tell my patients:
Don’t judge your treatment by whether melasma ever returns. Judge it by how much better you can keep it under control over the years.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged because your melasma came back, you’re not alone—and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

💬 How many times has your melasma returned?

⬇️ Save this post for the next time you feel like giving up, and share it with someone who needs to hear that melasma management is a marathon, not a sprint.

30/06/2026

One of my biggest pet peeves in dermatology is seeing dark underarms reduced to product recommendations on social media! 🤦🏽‍♀️

Darkening of the underarms can have multiple causes, including:

▫️ Friction
▫️ Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from shaving, waxing or deodorants
▫️ Acanthosis nigricans associated with insulin resistance
▫️ Certain medications
▫️ Autoimmune conditions and so much more!

Could brightening ingredients help? Absolutely—for the right diagnosis.

But skincare should never replace understanding why something is happening in the first place.

Social media loves simple answers. Skin is often more nuanced than that.

✨ Save this for later.
📤 Share it with someone who’s been told to ‘just use this cream’

Address

G2, 6 Nexus Court
Wheelers Hill, VIC
3170

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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