Abstract:
Background: Melasma is one of the most common skin disorders that involve with abnormal of melanin pigmentation. Arbutin is a topical medicine that usually used for whitening the skin with less side effects compared to others. Nano fractional radiofrequency is the new technology that can help rejuvenate the skin, minimize pore sizes, and could increase the efficacy of topical medicine absorption into the deeper skin.
Objectives: To compare melasma treatment between the drug delivery system using nano fractional radiofrequency with daily application with topical arbutin and only topical arbutin treatment.
Materials and Methods: This study is experimental. Volunteers diagnosed to have epidermal melasma or missed type melasma were recruited. In treatment, one half face was treated using nano fractional radiofrequency and daily 2% alpha arbutin. The other half was treated only with 2% alpha arbutin. MASI score, average melanin index, and side effects were evaluated at before treatment, week 4, week 8, and week 12 as well as the satisfaction score after week 12.
Results: The half face treated using nano fractional radio frequency and daily 2% alpha arbutin and the other half face treated only with 2% alpha arbutin, were not significantly different in MASI score, average melanin index and satisfaction score. There is minimal side effect.
Conclusions: Treating melasma on face using nano fractional radiofrequency and 2% alpha arbutin, is not significantly different from the treating only with 2% alpha arbutin.