ArticleLasers in medical science2025
Fractional carbon dioxide laser assisted delivery of tranexamic acid versus ascorbic acid in the treatment of melasma: a split face comparative study with digital skin analysis.
Article in Lasers in medical science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Clinical Applications of Vitamin C in Dermatology: A Systematic Review.The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology · 2026Review
- Innovations in Refractory Melasma: Mechanism-Based Management and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.Cureus · 2026Review
- Q-Switched 1064 nm Fractional Laser with Intradermal Tranexamic Acid for Melasma: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Study.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2026Article
- Targeting Melasma: Innovations in Pigment Deposition and Photoaging in Cosmetic Dermatology.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeMelasma is a chronic, acquired disorder of focal hypermelanosis. It clinically presents as hyperpigmented patches over photo-exposed areas such as the face. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined fractional CO2 laser with topical tranexamic acid (TA) versus combined fractional CO2 laser with topical ascorbic acid in treating patients with melasma.
methodsForty individuals, spanning the ages of 20 to 50, diagnosed with melasma were included in this prospective split-face comparison study. Patients were subjected to detailed medical, skin, dermoscopic, and Woods light, digital skin assessment for their grading of melasma before and after treatment. Subjects received fractional CO2 laser sessions to the affected areas before applying 10% solution of TA on the right side and 20% ascorbic acid solution on the left side.
resultsBaseline dermoscopic examination of the right side showed that 62.5% of the patients had fading of pseudo reticular network, 22.5% had fading telangiectasia, while the other 15% had no change. Considering the left side, 55% had fading of pseudo reticular network, 40% had fading telangiectasia, while the other 5% had no change. The baseline characteristics of melasma were comparable except for vascularity which was significantly higher in the right side compared to the left (p = 0.007).
conclusionTrans-epidermal delivery of tranexamic acid or vitamin C after low power fractional CO2 laser is a useful tool with more superiority towards the tranexamic acid treatment. More controlled larger sample trials are required to establish an optimal and effective treatment for melasma.
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