In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy in a typical case of melasma

Abstract

Melasma is a common disorder of hypermelanosis that affects mainly young and middle-aged women of Fitzpatrick's phototypes III-V. The disease significantly impacts their lives. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy, a spreading technology for the noninvasive evaluation of the skin up to the papillary dermis, provides real-time en face images with cellular resolution. We present a case of melasma with in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy findings closely correlated to the histopathological features described in the literature.