Prospective Study of Growth Factor Concentrate Therapy for Treatment of Melasma

BACKGROUND: Melasma is a common acquired pigmentary skin disorder. Currently, there are various treatment options available but none is effective universally. OBJECTIVE: Assess the role of Yuskin(®), a growth factor concentrate (GFC) therapy, a modified platelet rich plasma (PRP) technique for the treatment of melasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects of Fitzpatrick skin type IV–V, of either gender, more than equal to 18 years of age, with a clinical diagnosis of melasma were enrolled in the study. Total three sessions of GFC monotherapy were given with one-month interval (day 0, day 30, and day 60) and follow up of subjects was done at day 90 for the final clinical assessment. RESULTS: Out of 40 subjects enrolled, 30 subjects completed three GFC sessions and 26, completed day 90 follow-up. Statistically significant decrease in the mean mMASI scores was observed at all visits compared to baseline (P < 0.005 for each visit). Totally, 66.7% of severe melasma subjects showed improvement to mild to moderate category. Significant improvement in mean mMASI score was seen in subjects who had mild to moderate melasma at baseline (P < 0.05). Overall, aesthetic improvement was reported in 88.5% of subjects. Side effects reported were mild such as injection site pain, erythema, oedema and bruising, and resolved spontaneously within a few hours to few days of onset. CONCLUSION: Significant improvement in melasma was observed with GFC monotherapy, which needs further confirmation in larger randomized controlled studies. Overall, it was well tolerated. Thus, GFC therapy can be a safe, effective, and new option in the armamentarium of melasma management.