Comparison of Efficacy of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) versus 50% Glycolic Acid Peel in the Treatment of Melasma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66344/jpad.v36i2.3429Keywords:
Melasma, Intense pulsed light therapy, Glycolic acid peel, mMASIAbstract
Background Melasma is an acquired disorder of hyperpigmentation that results from the hyperactivity of melanocytes in the epidermis. Despite different treatment modalities available for melasma, recurrence is a big problem. Intense Pulsed light and Glycolic acid peel are two effective treatment therapies for melasma and there is a lack of local study in this regard.
Objective To compare the efficacy of Intense pulsed light versus 50% glycolic acid peel in the treatment of melasma.
Methods This study was conducted on 92 patients through nonprobability consecutive sampling. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group A was treated with Intense Pulsed Light therapy using cut-off filter of 570nm using fluence of 26-33 J/cm2 and Group B was treated with Glycolic acid peel (50%), at 3-week interval for a total of four sessions at baseline, 3rd, 6th and 9th week. Efficacy was evaluated at the end of the treatment at 12th week and a ≥50% reduction in mMASI score from baseline mMASI score was termed as efficacious.
Results In this study, the mean age of patients was 38.14 years, 77 (83.7%) patients were female, and 15 (16.3%) patients were male. In group A, efficacy was achieved in 26 (56.5%) patients, and in group B, efficacy was achieved in 13 (28.2%) patients (P<.05).
Conclusion We concluded that Intense pulsed light therapy is a more efficacious treatment modality as compared to glycolic acid peel in the treatment of melasma.
References
1. Ertam Sagduyu I, Dirican F, Acar A, Unal I. Efficacy of intense pulsed light therapy for melasma. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2019;21(7-8):378-81.
2. Suryantari SAA, Sweta NPTB, Veronica E, Hartawan IGNBRM, Karna NLPRV. Systematic review of melasma treatments: advantages and disadvantages. Bali Dermatol Venereol J. 2020 Dec 15;3(2):37-51.
3. Choudhary N, De A, Sil A, Chatterjee G. Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety Profile of Intense Pulsed Light Treatment in Melasma in Darker Skin Type. Serbian J Dermatol Venereol. 2020 Mar 1;12(1):3-8.
4. Liu Y, Wu S, Wu H, Liang X, Guo D, Zhuo F. Comparison of the Efficacy of Melasma Treatments: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Med. 2021 Sep 29;8:713554.
5. Verma A, Agrawal S. Efficacy of Intense Pulse Light with Triple Combination Cream Versus Triple Combination Cream alone in the Treatment of Melasma. Nepal J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2021 Oct 4;19(2):13-21.
6. Neagu N, Conforti C, Agozzino M, Marangi GF, Morariu SH, Pellacani G, et al. Melasma treatment: a systematic review. J Dermatol Treat. 2022 Mar 23;33(4):1816-37.
7. Mahajan VK, Patil A, Blicharz L, Kassir M, Konnikov N, Gold MH, et al. Medical therapies for melasma. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022 Jul 31;21(9):3707-28.
8. McKesey J, Tovar-Garza A, Pandya AG. Melasma Treatment: An Evidence-Based Review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2020 Apr;21(2):173-225.
9. Rizwan M, Kiren Shaheryar, Saira Zakir. Assessing efficacy of energy-based devices in melasma: Q-switched Nd-YAG laser vs. Intense Pulsed Light. J Pak Assoc Dermatol. 2019;29(1):72-7.
10. Garg S, Vashisht KR, Garg D, Oberoi B, Sharma G. Advancements in Laser Therapies for Dermal Hyperpigmentation in Skin of Color: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Experience of Sequential Laser Treatments in a Cohort of 122 Indian Patients. J Clin Med. 2024 Jan 1;13(7):2116.
11. Naheed A, Siddiqi H, Ahmad H. Evaluation of intense pulse light (IPL) for melasma: Efficacy, safety and patient experience. Professional Med J. 2023;30(9):1142-6.
12. Achar A, Rathi SK. Melasma: A clinico-epidemiological study of 312 cases. Indian J Dermatol. 2011;56(4):380-2.
13. Desale SP, Gugle AS, Kote R, Jadhav V. Comparative Study of Efficacy of Glycolic Acid Peel and Intense Pulsed Light in the Treatment of Melasma. MVP J Med Sci. 2015 Jun 1;2(1):42.
14. Sarkar R, Lakhani R. Chemical Peels for Melasma: A Systematic Review. Dermatol Surg. 2024;50(7):656-61.
15. Zoccali G, Piccolo D, Allegra P, Giuliani M. Melasma Treated with Intense Pulsed Light. Aesthet Plast Surg. 2010 Mar 12;34(4):486-93.
16. Zheng Y, Li F, Zhu X, Min W. Understanding Melasma: From Pathogenesis to Innovative Treatments. Dermatol Ther. 2024;2024:2206130. doi:10.1155/2024/2206130
17. Kim JH, Kim MS, Park GH, Chang SE. Update on Melasma Treatments. Annals Dermatol. 2024 Jun;36(3):125-34. doi:10.5021/ad.23.133
18. Ghasemiyeh P, Fazlinejad R, Kiafar B, Rasekh HR, Mokhtarzadegan M, Mohammadi-Samani S. Different therapeutic approaches in melasma: advances and limitations. Front Pharmacol. 2024;15:1399079. doi:10.3389/fphar.2024.1399079
19. Kadu PP, Laul RA. 80% Lactic Acid Peel Versus 50% Glycolic Acid Peel for Melasma: A Randomised Clinical Trial. Indian J Dermatol. 2025 May-Jun;70(3):152-6.
doi:10.4103/ijd.ijd_969_23
20. Aldahan AS, Shah VV, Mlacker S, Samarkandy S, Alsaidan M, Nouri K. Targeting Melasma: Innovations in Pigment Deposition and Photoaging in Cosmetic Dermatology. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025. doi:10.1002/jocd.70116.
21. Nehal F, El-Refaei MF, Farag AGA, Ibrahim NA. Oral tranexamic acid, low-fluence intense pulsed light, and glycolic acid for the treatment of mixed melasma: An observational study. Medicine. 2025;104(23):e42684. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000042684
22. Chen X, Wan J, Sun Y, Gao X, Li X. Prevalence of depression in melasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiat. 2024 Jan 8;14:1276906. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1276906
23. Phansuk K, Vachiramon V, Jurairattanaporn N, Chanprapaph K, Rattananukrom T. Dermal Pathology in Melasma: an Update Review. Clin Cosmet Invest Dermatol. 2022;15:11-9. doi:10.2147/CCID.S343332
24. Yi J, Hong T, Zeng H, Yang X, Gao F, Shi W. A meta-analysis-based assessment of intense pulsed light for the treatment of melasma. Aesthet Plast Surg. 2020;44:947-52. doi:10.1007/s00266-020-01694-6.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatologists
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Submission declaration
Authors retain the copyright to their work and grant the 'Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatologists (JPAD)' the right of first publication under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This license allows others to share, adapt, and reuse the work for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the journal.
By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work has not been published previously (except as an abstract, lecture, or academic thesis), is not under review elsewhere, and has been approved by all authors and relevant authorities. Once accepted, the article will be openly accessible under the CC BY 4.0 license, ensuring wide dissemination and reuse with proper attribution.
