MelanosisNCT01976286
A Pilot Study Testing Salicylic Acid Peels Versus Glycolic Acid Peels for the Treatment of Melasma
A study testing Salicylic Acid Peels and Glycolic Acid Peels in people with Melanosis, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to find out the safety and effectiveness of Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels compared to Salicylic Acid Chemical Peels for the treatment of melasma. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Melanosis
- What is being tested?
- Salicylic Acid Peels and Glycolic Acid Peels
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 21 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jan 2015to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Subjects aged 18 years or older
- Subjects with at least a 2 x 2 cm patch of melasma on each side of the face (forehead or cheek)
- Subjects in general good health
- Subjects must be willing and able to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator
- Subjects must be willing to not apply other treatment options for melasma during the course of the study
Who cannot join
- Subjects under 18 years of age
- Subjects who are pregnant and/or lactating
- Subjects who are unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent
- Subjects diagnosed with mental illness
- Subjects who have concurrent active uncontrolled disease to facial area (i.e uncontrolled acne)
- Subjects who have had a chemical peel in the past 3 months
Show all 10Show fewer
- Subjects who have used a prescribed retinoid in the past 3 months
- Subjects with a bleeding disorder
- Subjects with a history of abnormal wound healing
- Subjects with a history of abnormal scarring
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Northwestern University Department of Dermatology
Chicago, Illinois, 60611
About this study
Official title: A Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy of Glycolic Acid Peels vs. Salicylic Acid Peels for the Treatment of Melasma: A Randomized Control Trial
The purpose of this study is to find out the safety and effectiveness of Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels compared to Salicylic Acid Chemical Peels for the treatment of melasma.
Read the detailed description
Participants in this study will be patients who are clinically diagnosed with at least a 2 x 2 cm patch of melasma on each side of their face (forehead or cheek). One half of the subject's face will be randomly selected to receive 4 treatments of 30% glycolic acid peels and the other half of the face will receive 4 treatments of 30% salicylic acid peels/ weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. Follow up visit will be at week 16. This study is a pilot study designed to determine feasibility of these procedures.
- Conditions
- Melanosis
- Being tested
- Salicylic Acid Peels, Glycolic Acid Peels
- Medical subject headings
- Melanosis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Salicylic Acid PeelsOther
Glycolic Acid PeelsOther
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic Acid Peels | Active comparator | Salicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels are skin treatments used to correct uneven texture and color by removing dead cells from the skin's top layer. Receives: Other: Salicylic Acid Peels |
| Glycolic Acid Peels | Active comparator | Salicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels are skin treatments used to correct uneven texture and color by removing dead cells from the skin's top layer. Receives: Other: Glycolic Acid Peels |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in best overall cosmetic appearance (right side or left side better)rated by a blinded dermatologist from baseline to week 16
The primary outcome was a blinded rating of the treatment area (Salicylic Acid Peels Versus Glycolic Acid Peels) with the best overall cosmetic appearance. A dermatologist will blindly evaluate the treated areas of each side from live subjects at baseline and on the final follow up visit (week 16).
Measured: 1 hour at baseline and week 16
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Nov 2013 (estimated)
- Study startJan 2015
- Primary completion20 May 2026
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for MelanosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Northwestern UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Murad Alam, Northwestern University
- Investigators
- Murad Alam, MD, Principal investigator, Northwestern University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01976286
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU84250
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Oct 2013
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy of Glycolic Acid Peels vs. Salicylic Acid Peels for the Treatment of Melasma: A Randomized Control Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01976286
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STU84250
- Conditions
- Melanosis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jan 2015
- Primary completion
- 20 May 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Nov 2013 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to find out the safety and effectiveness of Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels compared to Salicylic Acid Chemical Peels for the treatment of melasma.
Detailed description
Participants in this study will be patients who are clinically diagnosed with at least a 2 x 2 cm patch of melasma on each side of their face (forehead or cheek). One half of the subject's face will be randomly selected to receive 4 treatments of 30% glycolic acid peels and the other half of the face will receive 4 treatments of 30% salicylic acid peels/ weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. Follow up visit will be at week 16. This study is a pilot study designed to determine feasibility of these procedures.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic Acid Peels | Active comparator | Other: Salicylic Acid PeelsSalicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels are skin treatments used to correct uneven texture and color by removing dead cells from the skin's top layer. |
| Glycolic Acid Peels | Active comparator | Other: Glycolic Acid PeelsSalicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid Chemical Peels are skin treatments used to correct uneven texture and color by removing dead cells from the skin's top layer. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Subjects aged 18 years or older
- Subjects with at least a 2 x 2 cm patch of melasma on each side of the face (forehead or cheek)
- Subjects in general good health
- Subjects must be willing and able to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator
- Subjects must be willing to not apply other treatment options for melasma during the course of the study
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Subjects under 18 years of age
- Subjects who are pregnant and/or lactating
- Subjects who are unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent
- Subjects diagnosed with mental illness
- Subjects who have concurrent active uncontrolled disease to facial area (i.e uncontrolled acne)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic Acid Peels | Other | Salicylic Acid Peels |
| Glycolic Acid Peels | Other | Glycolic Acid Peels |
Primary outcome
Change in best overall cosmetic appearance (right side or left side better)rated by a blinded dermatologist from baseline to week 16
Time frame: 1 hour at baseline and week 16
The primary outcome was a blinded rating of the treatment area (Salicylic Acid Peels Versus Glycolic Acid Peels) with the best overall cosmetic appearance. A dermatologist will blindly evaluate the treated areas of each side from live subjects at baseline and on the final follow up visit (week 16).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Murad Alam, MD principal investigator
Northwestern University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Salicylic Acid Peels and Glycolic Acid Peels in people with Melanosis, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in best overall cosmetic appearance (right side or left side better)rated by a blinded dermatologist from baseline to week 16 (time frame: 1 hour at baseline and week 16). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Jul 2026.