SynthesisJournal of cosmetic dermatology2025
The Efficacy of Laser Therapy in Melasma Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The Efficacy of Laser Therapy in Melasma Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2025Pooled it
- Q-Switched 1064 nm Fractional Laser with Intradermal Tranexamic Acid for Melasma: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Study.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2026Article
- The Exposome in Melasma: A Comprehensive Review of Etiology, Mechanisms, and Implications for Management.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionLaser treatment is one of the most common methods currently used to treat melasma. Here in, we reviewed RCTs with at least one laser therapy arm used in net form for treatment, so as to assess the use of laser therapy for melasma treatment with a degree of certainty.
methodsA systematic literature search was performed on the effectiveness of laser therapy for melasma treatment in the period from 2010 to 2024 using the keywords melasma, laser, and efficacy in the title. Finally, a meta-analysis was conducted using the mean and standard deviation of the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) variations before and after each session of laser therapy in different studies.
resultsSixteen RCTs on the efficacy, safety, and recurrence associated with laser therapy for melasma were eventually included and assessed. A total of 471 patients with a mean age of 35.3-46.4 years were examined. The 1064-nm Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser (QSNd:YAG) was the most common laser investigated in the studies. There were 2-12 treatment sessions, with 1-4-week intervals, and the patients' follow-up period was 2-6 months. The use of SSR (Super Skin Rejuvenation, 540 nm), low-energy QSNDY, and pixel-Er:YAG (Erbium YAG) for five sessions at 3-week intervals showed a very significant decrease in the modified MASI (mMASI) score (p < 0.001). Pixel-Er:YAG showed the maximum mMASI reduction and homogeneity (p > 0.001). Epidermal melasma had the best results with SSR and PQSND (Y Pixel Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser) (p < 0.001).
conclusionAmong the reviewed RCTs, the largest weight was assigned to a 2014 study that examined 40 patients (4.79% weight). The standardized variation of the mean MASI was negative in all studies, except for a 2011 study, which had the lowest weight among the studies (2.84%), indicating the mitigation of symptoms following laser therapy. A meta-analysis of 16 research studies (26 treatment arms) was performed to determine the efficacy of laser therapy for melasma. Treatment resulted in a significant improvement in MASI scores, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.65-1.11, p < 0.00001). Due to moderate-to-high heterogeneity (I
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