Background: Melasma is a very common skin disorder. It is most common in young women with brownish skin tan, but it can affect anyone. The Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI), an outcome measure developed to provide a more accurate quantification of the severity of melasma and changes during therapy.

Objectives: The aim of this study to describe the clinico-epidemiological pattern of melasma and to assess the melasma severity by applying MASI score.

Subjects and Methods: One hundred patients with melasma were exposed to detailed disease history and complete dermatological examination and MASI score was calculated.

Results: Out of 100 patients, 89% were female and 11% were male. 66% of the patients the site affected was centrofacial followed by malar that seen in 32%. MASI score was mild in 26% of patients, moderate in 73% of cases and severe in only 1% of the patients.

Conclusion: Melasma in men is definitely less common than in women, but shares the same clinical characteristics as in women. Majority of our patients had moderate MASI score. Among male patient no one had severe MASI score. Forehead and chin regions showed less severe involvement as compare to right and left malar regions.

Keywords: melasma, hyperpigmentation, Melasma Area & Severity Index (MASI).

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Dr Gamal Ahmed Duweb

Professor of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi University, Benghazi-Libya