Whitening Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid Cataplasm on Melasma in Chinese Women

Background/Aims: Oral tranexamic acid (TXA) has been reported to be effective for treating melasma. However, the effect of topical TXA on melasma remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of topical TXA cataplasm on melasma. Methods: Eighty-four patients with melasma were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a separate control group. They were instructed to apply 2 pieces of cataplasm with or without TXA. The melasma area severity index (MASI), skin color tone scale (SCTS), and area score were evaluated by dermatologists blinded to the treatment. Results: A significant decrease in the MASI and SCTS was observed on either or both sides of the face by the end of 8 weeks compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The area score was also significantly reduced on both tested sides compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, we believe that localized cataplasm of TXA may be used as a potentially new, effective, and safe therapeutic modality for treating melasma.