Abstract
Introduction:
Ablative and nonablative lasers have been used to treat melasma. We aimed to assess and compare the combining Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNYL) and fractional erbium:YAG laser (FEYL) with QSNYL alone in treatment of melasma.
Methods:
This randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in our Research Center during 2013-2014. Women with melasma and without a history of keloid formation, hypersensitivity to hydroquinone, or pigmentary changes due to laser therapy were randomly allocated to receive four sessions of either QSNYL-FEYL combination or QSNYL alone. All patients received topical treatment with Kligman’s formula. Before laser therapy and 4 weeks after the last treatment session, patients’ skin was assessed for changes in skin color, melanin content, and erythema intensity of melasma lesions quantitatively.
Results:
Finally, 21 patients in QSNYL-FEYL and 20 in QSNYL group (mean age, 38.57 [5.60] and 42.60 [8.44] years, respectively) completed study. The skin color had become lighter in both groups (mean [SD] percentage change of 56.95 [40.29] and 29.25 [13.20] in QSNYL-FEYL and QSNYL groups, respectively) with significantly better results in QSNYL-FEYL group (P = 0.006). Percentage of decrease of melanin content was significantly higher in QSNYL-FEYL group (22.01 [10.67] vs. 7.69 [4.75]; P < 0.001). After adjustment for baseline values, the post treatment intensity of erythema was significantly lower in QSNYL-FEYL group (P
< 0.001). The patients reported no adverse events.
Conclusion :
QSNYL-FEYL was significantly more effective in decreasing melanin content of lesions than QSNYL and led to a lighter skin.
Keywords:
Melasma; Melanosis; Lasers, Solid-state; Erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers; Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers.
see more: http://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/jlms/article/view/8823/8823