title: Analytic assessment under ultraviolet light of actinic lentigines under bleaching treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Actinic (solar) lentigines are melanotic tumors frequently developed during photoaging on the dorsum of the hands. Bleaching (whitening) agents are commonly offered to fade their darker aspect. In general, regular colorimetric methods show poor sensitivity to disclose any bleaching effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present randomized controlled study on 24 women was designed to objectively assess the clinical efficacy of a combination of bleaching agents on actinic lentigines. In the endeavor of improving sensitivity, the ultraviolet light-enhanced visualization (ULEV) method was used to derive analytical measurements of lentigo areas and darkness. The test product was a commercially available formulation associating glycolic acid, kojic acid, lipohydroxyacid, and a Vitreoscilla extract. The Analysis® Olympus and Adobe Photoshop® quantitative methods were applied to the ULEV pictures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data indicated a rapid bleaching effect arising as early as after 1 month of daily applications. The effect progressively increased over 3 months of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presently described analytical method appears to be sensitive to document some bleaching effects on actinic lentigines.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Skin Bioengineering and Imaging, Department of Dermatopathology, CHU Sart Tilman, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium. gerald.pierard@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Gérald E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Piérard
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seité
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rougier
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quatresooz
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057886:Bleaching Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D005260:Female; D006016:Glycolates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007911:Lentigo / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011753:Pyrones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D057886:Bleaching Agents; D006016:Glycolates; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D011753:Pyrones; C031149:glycolic acid; C011890:kojic acid