1 Negishi K.

Kushikata N.

Tezuka Y.

et al. Study of the incidence and nature of “very subtle epidermal melasma” in relation to intense pulsed light treatment.

Melasma is a common disorder of hyperpigmentation that can be exacerbated by ultraviolet light exposure and the use of certain treatment modalities. Because of this, proper patient counseling regarding disease extent and course of treatment is critical. Given the difficulty of appreciating disease in those with more subtle findings, the use of Wood's light has been suggested but not analyzed as an aid in diagnosis.To better understand the true utility of the additional use of Wood's light examination in evaluating disease extent, we chose to quantify melasma lesions in a study approved by the Boston University Institutional Review Board.