Hydroquinone and azelaic acid are the two options on the table for melasma, and the choice between them is a conversation to have with a provider after an exam. What you can prepare is the list of places to have that conversation.
Basis for the ranking
Providers are ordered by Google rating, as shown on Google Maps. New Beauty Company, at the head of the order, holds a 5 rating across 332 reviews. The table here runs from seventh place to tenth place.
Seventh through tenth, in a table
| Provider | Place in the order | Google Maps category | Street |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contoura Facial Plastic Surgery | seventh | Plastic surgery clinic | A1A N |
| Aesthetix Plus Medical Spa | eighth | Medical spa | Town Plaza Ave |
| Youthful Medical Spa | ninth | Medical spa | Professional Dr |
| Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery - Annex Location | tenth | Medical spa | Ponte Vedra Park Dr |
Reading each line
Contoura Facial Plastic Surgery holds a 4.9 rating across 323 reviews. Google files it as a Plastic surgery clinic.
Aesthetix Plus Medical Spa holds a 4.9 rating across 154 reviews.
Youthful Medical Spa shows a 4.8 rating across 694 reviews, the largest review pool of the four.
The annex listing, Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery - Annex Location, has a 4.8 rating across 90 reviews and the smallest pool of the four.
Background reading on melasma
The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has an entry, Melasma: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, that gives you the condition before you compare the two options. NCBI PMC hosts an analysis of a chemical peel's effect on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, a related pigmentation topic you may meet in a consult.
Two questions for the consult
- Which of the two options do you recommend for me, and why?
- What do I need to do before the first treatment, and in what order?
The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery's five essential questions for a cosmetic surgery consult are a ready checklist to bring next to them.
If time is short
Take the two questions to one provider from the table and write down the answers. Credentials come next, and the ASPS piece on why board certification matters for plastic surgery tells you what to ask.
Recommendation: let the consult choose between hydroquinone and azelaic acid, and use this page to decide who to consult.