Clinical Assessment Of Melasma In Patients Attending The Department Of Dermatology And Venereology At Rizgary Teaching Hospital In Erbil City

Intiha Mohamad Almosuly; Robert Odish Butros

doi:10.15218/zjms.2010.023

Authors

Intiha Mohamad Almosuly Consultant Dermatologist (lecturer) M.D., Ph.D., College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University
Robert Odish Butros M.B.Ch.B, H.D, Dermatology, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2010.023

Keywords:

Melasma, Fitzpatrick skin phototype, Premenstrual exacerbation, Pregnancy, Acne

Abstract

Background and objective: Melasma is an acquired and symmetric hyperpigmentation of the face. The aim of this study was to assess clinical varieties, aggravating factors of melasma, distribution among different age and sex groups and observed diseases.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 210 patients with melasma attending the department of Dermatology and Venereology at Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil city. Data were collected from November 2007 to the end of June 2008. All patients and both sexes were included in the study except for patients who received treatment during last two months of pres-entation. A questionnaire was prepared and full history and a thorough examination was done for each patient.

Results: The study showed that 83.33% of the patients were females with a mean age of 23.71 years. Main factors found to induce or exacerbate melasma were sunlight (71.9%) and emotional stress (65.7%). The most common morphological type was centrofacial (70.95%). Wood’s light examination showed epidermal type predominance.

Conclusion: Melasma is a disease of reproductive period. Sunlight and emotional stress are the most common aggravating factor. The most common morphological type of melasma seen was centrofacial. Epidermal type of pigment predominates in most patients with melasma.

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