Background: Cutaneous hyperpigmentations are common skin disorders that are often refractory to currently available treatments.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of microabrasion alone or microabrasion with 15% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) for treatment of cutaneous hyperpigmentations.
Methods: Twenty female patients were treated with microabrasion alone every 2 weeks (group 1), and 20 female patients were treated with microabrasion and application of 15% TCA every 3 weeks (group 2). All patients underwent up to eight treatments. The overall duration of treatment ranged from 2 to 4 months.
Results: In group 1, a complete remission was observed in 8 of 20 cases (40%), partial remission in 10 of 20 cases (50%), and no remission in 2 of 20 cases (10%). In group 2, a complete remission was observed in 10 of 20 cases (50%), a partial remission in 8 of 20 cases (40%), and no remission in 2 of 20 cases (10%). No unexpected or serious side effects were observed in either group.
Conclusions: Microabrasion alone or microabrasion with 15% TCA is an effective, well-tolerated treatment for cutaneous hyperpigmentations.