LASERTERAPIA PARA O TRATAMENTO DE MELASMA: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA DA LITERATURA

Abstract

Melasma is hyperpigmentation of the skin resulting from an increased level of melanin. It results in the formation of dark brown or grayish brown spots. It is more common in women and can have a psychological impact on their lives. Melasmatreatment aims to lighten the lesions and reduce the affected areas and the treatment can be pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Pharmacological treatment commonly uses hydroquinone, corticosteroids and tranexamic acid topically, being used as monotherapy or associated with azelaic acid, tretinoin and alpha betahydroxy acid. Non-pharmacological treatments include photoprotectors, lasers, microneedling and chemical peeling. This study sought to analyze the treatment pathways for melasma in human skin, identify current drug and non-drug therapies for the treatment of melasma. An integrative review of the literature on melasma and current pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments was carried out. The collection was carried out through books, articles and periodicals in a database. According to the literature reviews carried out in this study, treatments with ablative and non-ablative lasers are effective in treating melasma. The combination of the use of lasers with microneedling and vitamin C can enhance melasma treatment, bringing better effectiveness. The knowledge and learning of health professionals who are involved in melasma treatments is extremely important, and they must always remain up to date in theoretical and practical courses to provide effective and safe treatments for their patients.