Table 3. Controversial factors that influence the quality of life of patients with melasma.

	Statistically different from MELASQoL scale scores:	Not statistically different from MELASQoL scale scores:
Age	1. Younger patients had higher scores (p = 0.014) (feeling bothered) [28].	1. Age and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [20].
	2. Younger patients had higher scores (p = 0.005) (feeling unattractive) [28].	2. Age and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [19].
		3. Age and MELASQoL score
	3. Older patients had higher scores (p = 0.047) [24].	(p > 0.05) [29].
Previous treatment for melasma	1. Previously treated had higher scores (47.7 vs. 35.5, p < 0.05) [22].	/
	2. Previously treated had higher scores (33.9 vs. 27.63, p = 0.036) [29].
Duration of disease	Shorter duration of disease had higher scores (p = 0.044) [29].	1. Duration of disease and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [20].
		2. Duration of disease and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [28].
		3. Duration of disease and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [19].
Positive family history	/	1. Positive family history and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [28].
		2. Positive family history and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [29].
Educational level	1. Those with no formal education had higher scores than patients with at least a seventh-grade education (49.4 vs. 39.3, p < 0.05) [22].	Education level and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [19]
	2. Those with less than eight years of education had higher scores than patients with more education (44 vs. 34.4, p = 0.024) [26].
Employment	/	1. Employment and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [19].
		2. Employment and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [29].
History of mental illness	Patients with previous diagnoses of psychiatric diseases had higher scores (42.8 vs. 35.4, p = 0.044) [26].	/
Diagnosed with other diseases	Patients with polycystic ovarian disease had higher scores (44 vs. 27.91) [29]	1. Thyroid disease and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [28].
		2. Thyroid disease and MELASQoL score (p > 0.05) [29].
Medication history	Those with no history of oral contraceptive use had higher scores (29.97 vs. 21.23, p = 0.013) [29].	/
Dietary habits	Those that consumed a mixed diet had higher scores than vegetarians (30.15 vs. 24.85, p = 0.027) [29].	/