<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Melasma is an acquired disorder of hyperpigmentation characterised by forehead, cheeks, around eyelids and chin mostly in the sun-exposed areas of the skin. The etiology for melasma is not clear, various factors like genetic or hormonal influences the cause. The aim was to understand the demographical distribution and epidemiological pattern of pigmentation in melasma patients.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 50 patients were participated in the present study at department of dermatology of Mamata medical college and hospital, Khammam over a period of one year.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The mean age of patients with melasma was 33.84±5.76 years, with the youngest and oldest being 20 and 40 years with female preponderance, with a male to female ratio of 1:9. The maximum number of patients educated up to middle school level (38%) followed by primary school. The maximum number of individuals participated in the present study were housewife’s and out of 50 individuals 92% patients in the present series were married whereas family history of melasma was noted only 16% of the melasma patients.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The present observations demonstrates that the melasma is a female predominant, affecting young adults, etiological observations like sunlight, married, pregnancy, indoor, family history followed by cosmetics plays an important role in the melasma.</p>

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Melasma is a chronic acquired hypermelanosis of the skin mainly affecting women. The etiopathogenesis of melasma is not fully understood but multiple factors like genetic influences, sunlight exposure, pregnancy, estrogen ingestion and family history are implicated. The present study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic, efficacy of glycolic acid (GA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) superficial chemical peels in melasma patients.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Fifty patients with clinically diagnosed melasma of either sex attending the outpatient clinic of department of dermatology of Mamata medical college and hospital, Khammam during the period of April 2007 to March 2008 constituted the subject material.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Distribution of melasma patients by duration of lesions showed the duration varied from 6 months to 6 years in both the groups, the difference in the duration of disease in two groups was statistically non-significant. Whereas site involvement showed malar region (96%) was the most commonly affected site followed by forehead (80%) and chin (20%). Study also showed sunlight was the main precipitating factor and the most frequent Fitzpatrick skin phototype was type V. The majority of cases in both the groups pigmentation was homogenous. In both the groups, at the end of three peels, it was observed that maximum cases had moderate improvement. Burning sensation was significantly high in group B compared to group A, erythema was seen in more in group B.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> This study proposes to combine both their modalities of chemical peels for better results TCA peels are used initially to get prompt response and then followed by GA peels to further reduce the pigmentation and maintain the effect.</p>

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