Skip to content
Start consultationStart
Dermatology · Medicine

Compounded melasma formula

Compounded melasma formula is prescribed on Hi-Doctor when the licensed doctor considers it appropriate within dermatology.

€40once

Consultation price. The medicine is paid at your pharmacy.

Start consultation
Compounded melasma formula
About the medicine

What it is and how it works

The melasma formula is a magistral night cream combining hydroquinone 4%, tretinoin 0.025%, kojic acid 2% and niacinamide 4%. It follows the principle described by Kligman and Willis in 1975, in which a retinoid increases the penetration and effect of hydroquinone, replacing the original corticosteroid with kojic acid and niacinamide.

Because it is stronger than hydroquinone alone, it is used only two nights a week and only on the patches. A licensed doctor confirms that the pigmentation is melasma, excludes pregnancy, and reviews photographs at 2 months. The combination itself is compounded rather than a licensed product.

Who it is for

  • Prepared to prescription by a compounding pharmacy
  • Kligman-type formula: retinoid boosts hydroquinone's effect

Safety summary

Always read the patient leaflet supplied with your medicine. Your doctor reviews risks and interactions before prescribing.

Pricing

One consultation, one clear price

You pay for the doctor's consultation. If a prescription is issued, the medicine is paid at your own pharmacy.

  • Consultation reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor
  • Private follow-up in the in-app chat
  • Full refund if the doctor does not approve
One-off

Dermatology

One-offPhoto review included€40once
  • Consultation reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor
  • Photo review of your skin
  • Electronic prescription if approved
Start consultation

Full refund if a review is not approved

FAQs

Your questions answered

Compounded melasma formula13 questions
What is the compounded melasma formula?
A night cream prepared to prescription by a compounding pharmacy, combining hydroquinone 4%, tretinoin 0.025%, kojic acid 2% and niacinamide 4%. It follows the principle of the Kligman formula, in which a retinoid increases the penetration and effect of hydroquinone, with kojic acid and niacinamide in place of the original corticosteroid.
A thin layer to the patches only, two nights a week for 3 months, after cleansing and once the skin is fully dry. Wash it off in the morning. Broad-spectrum SPF 50+ every day, reapplied outdoors, is essential; without it the pigment returns and the tretinoin makes the skin more sun-sensitive.
More questions
Redness, peeling, dryness and stinging are expected in the first weeks and are why the formula is used only twice a week. Lightening of the surrounding skin can happen if it spreads beyond the patch. Stop and contact your doctor if the skin darkens, develops blue-black marks, or becomes persistently inflamed.
Anyone pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, because of the tretinoin and hydroquinone components. It is also unsuitable on broken, eczematous or sunburnt skin and in people allergic to any component. The doctor confirms the diagnosis, sets a 2-month photo review and plans a break after the course.
Write to your doctor in the private chat in your account: describe what you notice and when it started. The doctor can adjust the plan, pause it or suggest another option. If you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or chest pain, call 112 or go to an emergency department straight away.
It depends on what you take. List every medicine, supplement and herbal product in the questionnaire, including ones you use only occasionally. The doctor checks for interactions before prescribing, and your pharmacist checks again when you collect Compounded melasma formula.
The doctor can choose another topical option for your skin, adjust how you use it, or refer you to an in-person dermatologist when your skin needs an examination or a treatment that is not prescribed online.
Skin treatments need several weeks to show a change. You can write to your doctor in the private chat about irritation or doubts, and at the end of the course a follow-up consultation with new photos decides whether to continue, change or stop.
Yes. Hi-Doctor runs 100 % online across the EU, so if you live in Madrid you can fill in the questionnaire and receive the medical review without travelling. The electronic prescription issued by the licensed doctor is valid in any EU pharmacy under Directive 2011/24/EU; in Spain it is dispensed directly from the prescription QR.
The doctor reviews its appearance and progression, your history, allergies, current products and clear photos when needed. If your skin needs an in-person examination, the doctor refers you before prescribing.
The private electronic prescription (Receta Médica Privada Electrónica) is issued by a licensed doctor in Spain. It is a PDF carrying every field required by EU Directive 2011/24/EU (patient, prescriber with country of registration, active ingredient, dose), which makes it legally recognised across all 27 EU member states. In Spanish pharmacies it is dispensed from the QR; outside Spain, the pharmacist dispenses the locally marketed equivalent of the same active ingredient.
1) Fill in an online medical questionnaire in about 4 minutes. 2) The plan is €25/month for weight loss or €15/month (billed €45 every 90 days) for hair growth; sexual health is €35 per consultation and a skin consultation is €40. 3) An EU-licensed doctor reviews your case and, if appropriate, issues an electronic prescription. 4) Collect it at any EU pharmacy. If the review is not approved, the applicable fee is refunded in full.
The plan is €25/month for weight loss or €15/month (billed €45 every 90 days) for hair growth; a one-off sexual-health consultation is €35 and a skin consultation covering acne, rosacea, melasma and ageing skin is €40. Each includes a licensed doctor's review and an electronic prescription if approved. If the review is not approved, the applicable fee is refunded in full. Medication is paid for separately at the pharmacy at the price it sets.
Also for Dermatology

Related medicines

Medicine information and safety

Also available in

Azelaic acid 15%
Azelaic acid 15%
Adapalene + benzoyl peroxide
Adapalene + benzoyl peroxide
Clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide
Clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide
All content on this page has been medically reviewed by: Dr. Alejandro Infante, General medicine, on 25 August 2026. Registration: 080869277 View profile

Pay nothing if a doctor doesn't approve your treatment. Every consultation is fully refundable. How refunds work