Abstract
Melasma is a hyperpigmentation of multifactorial origin triggered by a combination of environmental, genetic, and hormonal factors, which are important components of quality of life. Objective: To clinically and epidemiologically characterize melasma in patients seen in an outpatient clinic. Methodological design: An observational, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of the “General Calixto García” University Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019. Results: In total, 43.6% of the participants were between 40 and 49 years old. A total of 89.7% were female. A total of 43.6% were classified as skin type III. Sun exposure was the triggering factor for 56.4% of the events. The duration of the condition was between 1 and 4 years in 38.5% of the patients. In 61.5% of the patients, the melasma was centrally distributed on the face. A total of 56.4% had epidermal melasma. A total of 61.5% had moderate-intensity melasma. A total of 33.3% had received prior topical treatment. Conclusions: Female patients aged 40–49 years with skin phototype III predominated. The main risk factor was sun exposure, and the duration of the condition was between 1 and 4 years in most patients. More than half of the patients presented with epidermal melasma of moderate severity distributed in the central facial region. The most frequently used previous treatment was topical therapy.References
Basukala M, Jha A, Shrestha R, Poudel S. Effect of melasma on quality of life in patient with melasma using DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index): A cross sectional study. JKISTMC [Internet]. 2022 [citado febrero 2023]; 4(2)8:6-10. Disponible en: http://www.journal.kistmcth.edu.np/index.php/JKISTMC/article/view/207&ved
Bravo E. Clinical-epidemiological characteristics of melasma in the Peruvian Andes. 24th World Congress of Dermatology. Milan, Italy. [Internet]. 2019 [citado diciembre 2020]. Disponible en: http://www.wcd2019milan-dl.org/abstract-book/documents/abstracts/33.pigmentation/clinical-epidemiological-characteristics-of-melasma-655.pdf&ved.
Cestari, Arellano-Mendoza I. Melasma in Latin America: options for therapy and treatment algorithm. J Eur Acad Dermatology Venereol 2009; 23(9):760–72.
Chatterjee M, Neema S. Dermoscopy of pigmentary disorders in brown skin. Dermatol Clin 2018; 36(4):473-85.
Doolan B, Gupta M. Melasma. Australian Journal of General Practice [Internet]. 2021 [citado diciembre 2021]; 50(12):880-5. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-05-021-6002.
Farahat AA, El-Garhy LH, El-Mahdy NA, Ali BM. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of topical and oral glutathione in treatment of melasma. Med J
Nigh Cairo Univ [Internet]. 2018 [citado septiembre 2021]; 86(6):3083-92. Disponible en: http://www.medicaljournalofcairouniversity.net.
Gaur K, Tomar A, Purohit S, Sharma M. Effect of root heal therapy (RHT) on melasma : A quincy experiment. Int Multispecialty J Heal 2017; 3(10):350–5.
Grimes PE, Ijaz S, Nashawati R, Kwak D. New oral and topical approaches for the treatment of melasma. Int J Womens Dermatol [Internet]. 2019 [citado diciembre 2020]; 5(1):30-6. Disponible en: https://www.linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2352647518300431
Habif GD. Clinical Dermatology. Séptima edición. Mosby, Elsevier 2020.
Handel AC, Bartoli Miot LD, Amante Miot H. Melasma: a clinical and epidemiological review. Anais Brasileiros Dermatología 2014; 89(5):771-82.
Jablonski NG, Chaplin G. The evolution of human skin coloration. J Hum Evol [Internet]. 2000 [citado diciembre 2020]; 39:57-106. Disponible en: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10896812
Jablonski NG. The evolution of human skin and skin color. Annu Rev Anthropol [Internet]. 2004 [citado diciembre 2020]; 33(1):585-623. Disponible en: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev.anthro.33.070203.143955.
Jusuf NK, Putra IB, Mahdalena M. Is there a correlation between severity of melasma and quality of life? Open Access Maced Med Sci [Internet]. 2019 [citado febrero 2023]. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.407.
Kagha K, Fabi S, Goldman MP. Melasma's impact on quality of life. J Drugs Dermatol [Internet]. 2020 [citado diciembre 2020]; 19(2):184-7. doi: 10.36849/JDD.2020.4663.
Kalayci MM. Pregnancy Mask: Melasma. Journal of Experimental and Basic Medical Sciences [Internet]. 2020 [citado diciembre 2020]; 1(2):65-7. doi: 10.5606/jebms.2020.75614.
Martínez Rico JC. Efectividad del ácido tranexámico oral vs formula triple combinada en el tratamiento de melasma moderado a severo: Estudio clínico controlado y aleatorizado. [tesis de Dermatología en línea]. Universidad Autónoma De Nuevo León. Nuevo León, México. 2019. [citado febrero 2022]. Disponible en: http://www.eprints.uanl.mx/20521/93/20521.pdf
Nunes Anacleto AC, Silva Fonseca A, Gonçalves AP, Pinheiro CM, Gomes Resende G, Pessoa Moreira L, et al. Melasma: revisão literária sobre tratamento e prevenção. Divinópolis. Minas Gerais, Brasil. [Internet]. 2021 [citado diciembre 2021]. Disponible en: http://www.crbm1.gov.br/site2019/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ARTIGO-DE-REVISA%25CC%2583O-MELASMA.pdf&ved.
Ogbechie-Godec OA, Elbuluk N. Melasma: an up-to-date comprehensive review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) [Internet]. 2017 [citado diciembre 2020]; 7(3):305-18. doi:10.1007/s13555-017-0194-1.
Rao SK, Rajashekar TS, Ashraf A. Efficacy of intralesional tranexamic acid in melasma: assessment with Melasma Area Severity Index and Dermatology Quality of Life Index. Turkderm-Turk Arch Dermatol Venereol [Internet]. 2022 [citado febrero 2023]; 56:58-63. doi: 10.4274/turkderm.galenos.2022.42709.
Rose PT. Pigmentary disorders. Med Clin North Am 2009; 93(6).
Rzepka Z, Buszman E, Beberok A, Wrześniok D. From tyrosine to melanin: Signaling pathways3. and factors regulating melanogenesis. Postepy Hig Med Dosw [Internet]. 2016 [citado diciembre 2020]; 70(0):695–708. Disponible en: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27356601.
Sánchez NP, Pathak MA, Sato S, Fitzpatrick TB, Sánchez JL, Mihm MC Jr. Melasma: A clinical, light microscopic, ultraestructural and immunofluorescence study. J Am Acad Dermatol 1981; 4(6):698-710.
Sarkar R, Ghunawat S, Narang I, Verma S, Garg VK, Dua R. Role of broad‐spectrum sunscreen alone in the improvement of melasma area severity index (MASI) and Melasma Quality of Life Index in melasma. J Cosmet Dermatol [Internet]. 2019 [citado febrero 2023]; 18:1066-73. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12911.
Tamler C, Fonseca R, Pereira F, Barcauí C. Classificação do melasma pela dermatoscopia: estudo comparativo com lâmpada de Wood. [Internet]. 2022 [citado diciembre 2022]. Disponible en: https://www.pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/biblio-884356.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 López Henríquez Aldanarys, Ortega Dugrot Yanet, Valdivieso Romero Jacqueline Fidelina, Agüero de la Torre Katia, Mesa Cañizares Aymara, Ferrer González Yodeisy (Author)