Effectiveness of the external application of Jidesheng snake tablets, trehalose glycerin mud, and hydroquinone cream in the treatment of melisma

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the external application of Jidesheng snake tablets, trehalose glycerin mud, and hydroquinone cream in the treatment of melasma.Methods: The study was conducted on 60 patients with melasma who were treated in the Affiliated Yueqing Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022. The patients were randomly but equally assigned to two groups (study and control). The study group received Jidesheng snake medicine, glycerin, boiled water, and trehalose medicinal mud at a 10:4:2:1 combination ratio, applied to the affected parts 12 h a day for 2 -4 weeks. After cleansing the skin, hydroquinone cream was applied to the affected area. On the other hand, the control group was treated with a similar formulation but without trehalose medicinal mud in the ratio of 10:4:2. Changes in facial melasma of the patients were observed, while the satisfaction, clinical efficacy, incidence of adverse reactions, and recurrence rate were monitored. Results: Patients in the study group were more satisfied with the treatment than those in the control group (90 vs. 73.3 %, p < 0.05). Furthermore, treatment effectiveness was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (93.3 vs. 70 %, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The external application of Jidesheng medicine + glycerin + cold boiled water + trehalose is a reliable therapeutic strategy for the management of patients with melasma. It is more cost-effective, less prone to adverse reactions, and is associated with a low recurrence rate and high satisfaction.