Acceptability, feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of Picopulse for the treatment of melasma among Malaysian women: A pilot quasi‐experimental

Background Women are greatly affected by melasma as compared to men and has a significant negative impact on their quality of life. Thus far, there no well-conducted trials for in Malaysia. Objectives This multicentre quasi-experimental pilot study aims determine the acceptability feasibility conducting preliminary effectiveness trial Picopulse treatment effect severity life Malaysian women. Methods Outcome measures were collected from 32 participants aged 18–65 years old presenting dermal with Fitzpatrick skin type III–V OneDoc Skin Centres Klang Valley, Malaysia at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks after intervention. All analyses performed under terms intention-to-treat. Results Overall, average score Short Assessment Patient Satisfaction (SAPS) was 22.2 (SD = 4.8), this demonstrated that satisfied well-accepted all patients. The recruitment retention rates 48.48% 71.88%, respectively. Twenty-five out patients completed 10 treatments (78.13%). There mean differences Melasma index (MSI) reported partial eta square 0.79 (p < 0.0001), physician global assessment (PGA) 0.89 scale (MELASQoL) 0.32 0.05), baseline measurement postintervention. three most common temporary side effects pain (M 0.2, SD 0.46), redness 0.12, 0.24), dryness 0.11, 0.17), however, adverse well-tolerated resolved without any treatments. Conclusions These findings provide promising data support future full-scale clinical studies. registered ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04834167).