Synbiotics supplement is effective for Melasma improvement.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Copper (Supplement).

Melasma is a disorder of melanogenesis among humans causing localized, chronic acquired hypermelanosis of the skin requiring a combination of treatments.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 57 participants taking part.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults and middle-aged adults.

This research comprised an experimental study employing a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial among 57 Thai participants divided in 2 groups (29 for the experimental and 28 for the placebo groups).

The participants were aged 30-50 years old, had Fitzpatrick skin type III-VI, with facial melasma on both sides of the face and attending Mae Fah Luang University Hospital, Bangkok from January-December 2019.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled.

The participants were allocated by chance, so the Copper (Supplement) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the participants nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Copper (Supplement), so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Copper (Supplement), giving a reference point.

Melasma severity and skin health were evaluated at 4 visits for each participant (baseline, weeks 4, 8, and 12, respectively).

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Melanosis, Synbiotics and Thailand.

The authors tagged it with the keywords mMASI Score, melasma, mexameter and skin pigmentation.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Copper (Supplement) in 57 participants.

Its findings take up roughly 3 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 2021 (Journal of cosmetic dermatology), a journal based in England.

More context: the Copper (Supplement) compound page, all human trials.