Evaluation of Dual Filament PVA-Seaweed Cotonii Hydrogel Patch for Melasma Treatment with Corporation of Snail Mucin and Glycyrrhiza Glabra

Melasma was a chronic hyperpigmentation disorder that mostly occurred in women and linked to the limitations and complications of the conventional treatment methods like the use of hydroquinone and chemical peeling. The problem associated with the study was the absence of a safe and effective system for the sustained delivery of depigmenting and antimicrobial functions of the treatment. The aim of the study was to design and assess the use of the dual-filament hydrogel patch containing natural bioactive components in the treatment of melasma. In this study, the approach included the formulation of a dual-layer patch topped with Elastosil silicone and a hydrogel layer made of PVA with added seaweed extract, snail mucin, and Glycyrrhiza glabra, optimized via Design of Experiment (DOE), with the subsequent testing of the pH, tensile strength, antibacterial, and antioxidant activity of the resulting patch. The study revealed the optimized hydrogel patch to be pH compatible with the skin, sufficient mechanical strength, strongly active against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria, and a strong free-radical scavenger based on the results of the DPPH assay. Future studies should be focused on in vivo evaluation, long-term stability analysis, and clinical validation to further establish the effectiveness and safety of the patch for the management of melasma.