title: Efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light in treatment of melasma in Chinese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melasma is commonly seen in the Asian population. Traditional therapies are less effective and may cause adverse effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to study the efficacy and safety of a new intense pulsed light (IPL) device in the treatment of melasma in Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine women with melasma were enrolled in this open-labeled study. Subjects received a total of four IPL treatments at 3-week intervals. Changes in facial hyperpigmentation and telangiectasis were evaluated using an objective, skin colorimeter (Mexameter, Courage & Khazaka), the melasma area and severity index (MASI), and a global evaluation by the patients and blind investigators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine of 89 patients (77.5%) obtained 51% to 100% improvement, according to the overall evaluation by dermatologists. Self-assessment by the patients indicated that 63 of 89 patients (70.8) considered more than 50% or more improvement. Mean MASI scores decreased substantially from 15.2 to 4.5. Mexameter results demonstrated a significant decrease in the degree of pigmentation and erythema beneath the melasma lesions. Patients with the epidermal-type melasma responded better to treatment than the mixed type. Adverse actions were minimal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IPL treatment is a good option for patients with melasma. Adverse actions of IPL were minimal and acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, No. 1 Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: John Z S
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guang-Hui
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Hong-Duo
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008548:Melanosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome