RESUMO
The combination of in-office procedures such as chemical peels with topical maintenance therapies has been shown to provide greater efficacy than either treatment by itself in the management of melasma. A series of 3 case studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of one superficial chemical peel (containing a proprietary blend of resorcinol, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and retinol) combined with a topical multimodal, hydroquinone-free skin brightener as postpeel maintenance therapy. Patients presented with moderate to severe facial hyperpigmentation. At baseline, subjects received the superficial chemical peel treatment followed by a standard postpeel skin care regimen (cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF 30+ sunscreen). Approximately 1 week after the peel procedure, subjects initiated twice-daily application of the skin brightener. Subjects were then evaluated for Global Improvement in Hyperpigmentation by the investigator for up to 7 weeks postpeel. Standardized digital photographs of the subjects facial skin and in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) images were taken of a target hyperpigmented lesion at baseline and at follow-up. Standardized photography and in vivo RCM images at baseline and at postpeel show the improvements observed by the investigator. Results from these case studies suggest that the combination of a superficial chemical peel with topical maintenance and the multimodal skin brightener may provide an effective treatment approach for subjects with moderate to severe facial hyperpigmentation.
