Laser-assisted delivery of vitamin c or vitamin c plus growth factors in the treatment of chloasma in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The use of lasers can be an effective approach for treating chloasma in women via the delivery of vitamin C and growth factors. This meta-analysis aimed to assess laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) vs. traditional techniques for women’s skin disorders such as chloasma. According to the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis” (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Springer, and Wiley online digital libraries. Articles published between 2000 and August 5, 2021, were included in this meta-analysis. A random-effects model was used to determine the pooled risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). This meta-analysis included a total of 16 studies. No significant heterogeneity values were observed. A subgroup analysis showed that patients receiving vitamin C plus growth factors had decreased the average wrinkle depth (AD) rates that were more significant than for the patients who received vitamin C alone. Moreover, patients in the treatment group showed greater reductions in the “Melasma Area and Severity Index” (MASI) score than in the control group. This meta-analysis suggested that the laser-assisted delivery of vitamin C plus growth factors should be widely used for certain skin diseases. Future studies need to conduct more trials with large populations using cosmeceutical or other growth factors.