Laser and laser compound therapy for melasma: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Aesthetic Medicine
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Melasma treatment presents challenges due to unclear pathogenesis and high recurrence rates.
• Existing therapies for melasma often yield suboptimal results.
• The need for effective and reliable melasma treatments is significant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of laser and laser compound therapy for melasma.
• To compare laser-based treatments against other therapeutic modalities.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on melasma treatment.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Cochrane, Embase, and Medline databases up to July 2018.
• Inclusion of all RCTs comparing laser or laser compound therapy for melasma.
• Meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of data from nine selected RCTs involving 346 patients.

Main Results:

• Laser and laser compound therapy demonstrated superior patient global assessment (PGA) scores (MD: 1.96) and modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI) scores (MD: -1.57) compared to drug and laser therapy.
• Four studies were identified as having a low risk of bias.
• Subgroup analyses confirmed the primary findings, indicating reliable results.

Conclusions:

• Laser and laser compound therapy are effective in improving the area and severity of melasma.
• These findings support the use of laser-based treatments for melasma management.
• Further high-quality clinical studies are recommended to solidify these conclusions.