Interpretability of the Modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI)

Abstract

Melasma is a disorder of pigmentation commonly affecting women with darker skin types.¹ Owing to the recalcitrant nature of melasma, more randomized controlled clinical trials of new treatment modalities are needed. These trials require precise categorization of disease severity to select appropriate patients for enrollment and determine response to treatment. The Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) is the most common outcome measure used for melasma studies, and was validated 20 years after it was first reported.^2,3 This validation process eliminated homogeneity as a part of the MASI, resulting in the new modified MASI score (mMASI).³