Melasma or Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Hydroquinone 8%/ Retinoic Acid 0.025% / Dexamethasone 0.1%
• Fitzpatrick type V/VI skin: decrease to Hydroquinone 6% (fewer “halos” when spot treating)
• Off the face: increase Retinoic Acid to 0.05% (for better penetration)
• Sig: apply QHS for 2 to 3 months then change to “maintenance” (tretinoin vs. azelex etc…)
• Sig: when applying to “spots”: treat spots QHS and whole face TIW (avoids “halos”)
Disclaimer: All of the information on this website is being presented as helpful reference material but should not be considered authoritative. There are no references because the information has been collected over the years piecemeal from notes, lectures, journals, textbooks, personal communications with other physicians and experience. You may disagree with some of it. Take it simply for what it is: information that I have found useful in my day to day practice as a clinical dermatologist and my hope is that you find it useful as well.
