Alpha-arbutin 5% + kojic acid 2% worked just as well as the gold-standard triple combination cream (TCC) for treating melasma over 12 weeks, with one major advantage: it had significantly less recurrence after stopping treatment and caused fewer side effects like redness and stinging.

Researchers tested both treatments on opposite sides of 30 people's faces for 12 weeks, then tracked what happened for another 4 weeks after stopping. They measured results using melanin levels, melasma severity scores, and doctor assessments.

Funding not disclosed in abstract