A double-blind randomized trial of 5% ascorbic acid vs. 4% hydroquinone in melasma
- PMID: 15304189
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02134.x
A double-blind randomized trial of 5% ascorbic acid vs. 4% hydroquinone in melasma
Abstract
Background: Melasma is an acquired treatment-resistant hyperpigmentation of the skin.
Methods: Sixteen women with idiopathic melasma were included in our trial. After randomization by another clinician, they were instructed to use, at night, 5% ascorbic acid cream on one side of the face and 4% hydroquinone cream on the other side, for 16 weeks. Sunscreen was applied daily throughout the period of observation. They were evaluated every month by colorimetry, digital photography, and regular color slides. Subjective evaluation by each patient was also taken into account.
Results: The best subjective improvement was observed on the hydroquinone side with 93% good and excellent results, compared with 62.5% on the ascorbic acid side (P < 0.05); however, colorimetric measures showed no statistical differences. Side-effects were present in 68.7% (11/16) with hydroquinone vs. 6.2% (1/16) with ascorbic acid.
Conclusion: Although hydroquinone showed a better response, ascorbic acid may play a role in the therapy of melasma as it is almost devoid of side-effects; it could be used alone or in combination therapy.
Similar articles
-
Safety and efficacy of 4% hydroquinone combined with 10% glycolic acid, antioxidants, and sunscreen in the treatment of melasma.Int J Dermatol. 2003 Dec;42(12):966-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2003.02017.x. Int J Dermatol. 2003. PMID: 14636195 Clinical Trial.
-
Efficacy of dioic acid compared with hydroquinone in the treatment of melasma.Int J Dermatol. 2009 Aug;48(8):893-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04105.x. Int J Dermatol. 2009. PMID: 19659872 Clinical Trial.
-
A clinical, prospective, randomized, double-blind trial comparing skin whitening complex with hydroquinone vs. placebo in the treatment of melasma.Int J Dermatol. 2003 Feb;42(2):153-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01621.x. Int J Dermatol. 2003. PMID: 12709008 Clinical Trial.
-
Oral Tranexamic Acid for the Treatment of Melasma: A Review.Dermatol Surg. 2018 Jun;44(6):814-825. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000001518. Dermatol Surg. 2018. PMID: 29677015 Review.
-
A practical comparison of hydroquinone-containing products for the treatment of melasma.Skinmed. 2005 Nov-Dec;4(6):371-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-9740.2005.04285.x. Skinmed. 2005. PMID: 16276155 Review. No abstract available.
Cited by
-
Melasma: A Step-by-Step Approach Towards a Multimodal Combination Therapy.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024 May 22;17:1203-1216. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S372456. eCollection 2024. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024. PMID: 38800358 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Formulation of Ascorbic Acid and Betaine-based Therapeutic Deep Eutectic System for Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of Ascorbic Acid.Pharmaceutics. 2024 May 20;16(5):687. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050687. Pharmaceutics. 2024. PMID: 38794349 Free PMC article.
-
Different therapeutic approaches in melasma: advances and limitations.Front Pharmacol. 2024 Apr 2;15:1337282. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1337282. eCollection 2024. Front Pharmacol. 2024. PMID: 38628650 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The Impact of Antioxidants on Vitiligo and Melasma: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Dec 6;12(12):2082. doi: 10.3390/antiox12122082. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023. PMID: 38136202 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Topical and Systemic Therapies in Melasma: A Systematic Review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2023 Oct 27;14(6):769-781. doi: 10.4103/idoj.idoj_490_22. eCollection 2023 Nov-Dec. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2023. PMID: 38099013 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
