Table 3.
Comparison groups | Outcome(s) | Author conclusions | References |
---|---|---|---|
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – 1% flutamide cream |
1 – Patient satisfaction 2 – MASI 3 – Mexameter melanin assay |
Comparable efficacy in objective assessments but higher patient satisfaction for 1% flutamide cream | Present study |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – 3% Rubus occidentalis cream |
Patient satisfaction | Occidentalis 3% cream is a safe and effective skin-lightening agent for melasma and is comparable in efficacy with 4% hydroquinone cream | 25 |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – Kojic acid cream (0.75% kojic acid and 2.5% vitamin C) |
MASI | Kojic acid cream found to be less effective than hydroquinone 4% cream | 26 |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – Zinc sulfate 10% solution |
MASI | Zinc sulfate 10% solution found to be less effective than hydroquinone 4% cream | 27 |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – Azelaic acid cream |
MASI | 20% Azelaic acid cream applied twice daily may be more effective than hydroquinone 4% in reducing mild melasma | 28 |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% on one side of the face 2 – Niacinamide cream on other side of the face |
1 – Colorimetric measures 2 – Histological sections |
Generally, similar efficacy but proportion of good to excellent improvement higher for hydroquinone | 29 |
1 – Hydroquinone 2% cream as priming agent 2 weeks before peeling with glycolic acid 2 – Tretinoin and 0.025% cream as priming agent 2 weeks before peeling with glycolic acid |
MASI | Results are better with hydroquinone as priming agent compared to tretinoin in enhancing the results with glycolic acid peels in melasma and in decreasing postpeel postinflammatory hyperpigmentation | 30 |
1 – Hydroquinone 4% cream 2 – A triple combination (TC) cream |
Static global severity assessment of melasma | Was more effective than the hydroquinone cream for the treatment of moderate-to-severe facial melasma | 31 |
1 – Hydroquinone 5% cream on one side of the face 2 – Ascorbic acid cream on other side of the face |
1 – Colorimetry 2 – Digital photography and regular color slides |
Hydroquinone showed a better response than ascorbic acid | 32 |
Abbreviation: MASI, Melasma Area and Severity Index.