Comparative Study of Efficacy of Glycolic Acid Peel and Intense Pulsed Light in the Treatment of Melasma

Background: Melasma, one of the common aesthetically displeasing entities, continues to be a difficult problem to treat. Chemical peeling is one new weapon in the therapeutic armamentarium of melasma. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a noncoherent, broad-spectrum light, ranging from 500 to 1200 nm. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment is a good option for patients with melasma. Aims and Objective: To compare the efficacy of glycolic acid peel and intense pulsed light in the treatment of melasma. Setting: Outpatient department of Dermatology, Venerology Leprology of a tertiary health care centre with an attached medical college. Material and Methods: 60 patients of melasma were recruited in the study. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: one group (glycolic acid 50%) and another group (IPL) with 30 patients in each group. All the participants were subjected to undergo pre-peel programme of daily application of sunscreens (day time) and 0.025% retinoic acid at bed time for two weeks in GA peel group. 4 peels were carried out at 2 weekly intervals. Four sessions of IPL were done at 3 weeks interval. MASI scoring and coloured photographs (without reavealing identity) of each patient were taken before each peel and at the end of the follow-up period i.e. 2 weeks after 4^th sitting in GA peel group and 3 weeks after 4^th sitting in IPL group. Side effects, if any, were also recorded. Statistical Analysis Used: SYSTAT version-12. Results: In both the groups there was constant decrease in MASI scores after each sitting as compared to pre-peel scores. However, the comparison of mean MASI scores i.e. both pre-peel and after each peel, between the two groups showed statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Local reactions, such as burning sensation and erythema during the peel were not significant with both the groups. Conclusions: Glycolic Acid (GA) peel (50%) is more efficacious&safe treatment modality in melasma compared to IPL.