Salicylic acid peeling combined with vitamin C mesotherapy versus salicylic acid peeling alone in the treatment of mixed type melasma: A comparative study

Introduction: Melasma is a distressing condition for both dermatologists and patients. We evaluated the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA) peel and vitamin C mesotherapy in the treatment of melasma. Materials and methods: Fifty female patients were divided into two groups. All patients were treated with 30% SA peel every two weeks for two months. In addition, after SA peeling Group A was intradermally administered 10 vitamin C on the melasma lesion at 1-cm intervals. All patients were followed up for 6 months, during which the recurrence rates were evaluated. Digital photographs of the melasma site were taken and patients’ Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) scores were assessed. After the treatment, the patients were asked to complete the melasma quality of life questionnaire (MelasQoL) to evaluate their satisfaction with the treatment. All the adverse effects were noted. Results: The MelasQoL and MASI scores of patients in both groups significantly decreased after the treatment. Apart from a burning sensation, no adverse event was observed and all patients tolerated the treatment well. Discussion: SA peel combined with vitamin C mesotherapy is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of melasma with no significant side effects and minimal downtime.