Melasma kits are sold under a variety of brand names but all have similar ingredients. These kits come with a combination of chemical peels, creams, and cleansers. A compounding pharmacy can make a melasma kit with the same ingredients but in unique combinations and higher strengths.

Commercially Available Melasma Kits: Melanage and Cosmelan MD

Combining multiple ingredients into one chemical peel is not new. These ingredients have been used by dermatologists for many years throughout the world. However there are some commercially available kits that have gained brand recognition in recent years. Most of these kits are based on the Amelan kit from Dr. Krulig that has been used for decades. Both the Melanage and the Cosmelan MD kits have similar ingredients.

Hydroquinone and retinoic acid are the two main ingredients found in many melasma formulations. These are mainstays of melasma treatment found in many skincare products. Hydroquinone induces melanocyte-specific cytotoxicity to reduce hyperpigmentation, which means it eliminates cells that cause melasma. Retinoic acid inhibits melanogenesis and increases cell turnover to remove the hyperpigmented skin cells. These two ingredients work synergistically in a formulation to treat melasma.

Our melasma kit is popular with dermatologists and contains similar ingredients to Melanage and Cosmelan MD. Our melasma peel includes hydroquinone, retinoic acid, kojic acid, and azelaic acid. The kit also includes cleansing facial pads and a cream. These help improve the appearance of the skin as it heals after the peel and while using the maintenance cream.

What is in the Park Compounding Pharmacy Melasma Kit?

The melasma kit we compound at our pharmacy includes the following products:

• Melasma Mask: Hydroquinone 8%, Azelaic Acid 15%, Kojic Acid 4%, Retinoic Acid 0.1%
• Melasma Maintenance Cream: Hydroquinone 6%, Kojic Acid 4%, Retinoic Acid 0.05%, Hydrocortisone 0.5%
• Cleansing Face Pads: Salicylic Acid 2%, Sulfacetamide 5%, Clindamycin 0.5%
• Peptide Cream: Hyaluronic acid 1%, DMAE 3%, Argireline, Vitamin C

The kit includes two phases:

Phase I: A skincare professional applies the melasma mask in the office. The professional leaves the mask on for between 8-12 hours, depending on the patient’s skin type. They will apply the peptide cream over the entire area that was treated immediately after removal of the mask.

Phase II: The at-home skincare regimen includes daily use of the melasma maintenance cream and the peptide cream.

Customizable Melasma Treatment

With a compounding pharmacy, a healthcare provider can prescribe any skincare ingredient in a cream based on what they think will work best for their patient. They can even add less common ingredients like plant extracts. In most cases if a provider requests a skincare ingredient our pharmacy can find a source for it. This kind of customization is not an option with a skincare product manufacturer.  Interested in learning more about our melasma kit? Call our compounding pharmacy anytime to speak to an experienced member of our team.