In adults with melasma, is microneedling- assisted tranexamic acid more effective than topical hydroquinone in reducing pigmentation ?

Date First Published:

July 17, 2026

Last Updated:

July 17, 2026

Report by:

lorraina, Student in Aesthetics (Queen Marys)

Three-Part Question:

Adults with melasma Intervention: Microneedling-assisted tranexamic acid Comparison: with hydroquinone

Clinical Scenario:

A patient with recurrent melasma seeks alternatives to hydroquinon. The clinician considers TXA delivered via micro needling and wants to evaluate the efficacy.

Search Strategy:

PUBMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar,

Search Details:

Melasma, tranexamic acid, microneedling, hyperpigmentation

Outcome:

please include 2- 3 studies showing improved outcomes with TXA and micro needling

Bottom Line:

TXA delivered Via Micro needling shows promising results for melasma, with better pigment reduction and patient satisfation compared to topical agents.

Level of Evidence:

Level 1: Recent well-done systematic review was considered or a study of high quality is available