30 patients with check sunburn, aged 18-60 years old treated by hydroquinone 2% in combining with sun protected cream. After 6 moths pigment reduced by 45,6%, mean size of lesion reduced by 78%. 90- 100% of patients had the size of lesion reduced by 13,4% and 61% of patients had the size of lesion reduced by 70-89%.
Therapeutics ; Melanosis/therapeutic use ; Hydroquinones

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of low-energy QS Nd : YAG and QS alexandrite laser for melsasma.

METHODSWe treated 32 patients with melasma using the low-energy QS Nd : YAG and QS alexandrite laser. Pigment subsided by > or = 90% was regarded as "cured", by 60% -89% as "remarkably improved", by 30% -59% as "effective", and by < 30% as "ineffective" .

RESULTSAmong the 32 patients, 21 patients (65.6%) were cured after (10.2 +/- 3.5) times (range: 4-15 times) of treatments, 11 patients (34.4%) were remarkably improved after (11.4 +/- 2.5) times (range: 10-14 times) of treatment. The rates of "cured" and "remarkably improved" were 81.3% and 18.7% among patients with light brown melasma and 50.0% and 50.0% among patients with dark brown melasma (P < 0.05). In patients with a disease history of less than 2 years, the rates of " cured" and "remarkably improved" were 87.5% and 12.5%, which was significantly better than the treatment results of patients with a disease history of more than 2 years (the rates of "cured" and "remarkably improved" were 58.3% and 41.7%) (P < 0.05). No hyperpigment and scarring was observed and only one patient experienced a transient pigment loss.

CONCLUSIONSLower-energy QS Nd : YAG and QS Alexandrite Laser can be used to treat patients with melasma safely and effectively. The color and disease course of melasma were factors that may affect the treatment results.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Low-Level Light Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Melanosis ; radiotherapy ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment ; Treatment Outcome

Melasma is an acquired symmetric hypermelanosis characterized by irregular lightto gray-brown macules and patches on sun-exposed areas. Many therapeutic agents are available but are unsatisfactory. Recently, it has been demonstrated that lincomycin (LM) and linoleic acid (LA) can inhibit melanogenesis in vitro. Our purpose was to investigate the clinical efficacy of topical application of LM and LA in combination with betamethasone valerate (BV) in melasma patients. Fortyseven Korean female adults with clinically diagnosed melasma were enrolled in a 6-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Patients were treated with one application of the vehicle (group A), 2% LM mixed with 0.05% BV (group B), or 2% LM mixed with 0.05% BV and 2% LA (group C) on the face every night. Determination of efficacy was based on the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) score and objective assessment (no effect, mild, moderate, or excellent) at intervals of 2 weeks until the end of the study at 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, in comparison with the pre-treatment MASI score, the average MASI score of group C decreased to 68.9%, compared with 98% in group A (p<0.05) and 85.4% in group B. There was no statistically significant difference between group A and group B. Seven patients (43.7%) in group C revealed more than moderate improvement in objective assessment, compared with none in group A and two patients (12.5%) in group B. There were no significant side effects. Topical application of linoleic acid is considered to be effective in the treatment of melasma patients.
Administration, Topical ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Betamethasone 17-Valerate/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Korea ; Lincomycin/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Linoleic Acid/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Melanosis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Structure ; Ointments

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of Chinese herbs combined with acupuncture (CH-A) in treating chloasma.

METHODSSixty-one patients with chloasma were randomly assigned to two groups: 30 in the control group and 31 in the treated group. Both groups received conventional treatment with oral intake of vitamin C and E, and external application of quban powder. Besides, the treated group also received CH-A, with the therapeutic course for both groups as 3 months.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the treated group and the control group was 100.00% and 46.67% respectively, and the cure-effective rate was 74.19% and 13.33% respectively, all showing significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The scores of size and color of skin lesion and that of symptoms decreased in both groups, but the decrease in the treated group was more obvious, showing significant difference compared with those before treatment and also compared with those in the control group after treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). A follow-up study in 1 year to 2 years and 4 months showed that the long-term effect in the treated group showed an increasing trend compared with the effect immediately after treatment, but it showed a decreasing trend in the control group, though with no any statistical significance (both P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONOn the basis of conventional treatment, combined use of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in treating chloasma could markedly improve the accompanied symptoms, lighten the color and shrink the size of skin lesions.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Melanosis ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Middle Aged ; Pigmentation ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome

Adnexa Uteri ; surgery ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Melanoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Melanosis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; secondary ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; secondary ; Teratoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery