Tr
Tranexamic Acid
Tranexamic AcidActive
Originally an oral therapeutic for excessive bleeding; topically used for melasma.
What it does
Tranexamic acid interferes with the plasmin pathway involved in melanocyte activation. Topically (typically 2-5%), it's effective for melasma and stubborn pigmentation. Works well stacked with vitamin C and niacinamide for tone-focused routines.
The evidence, graded
strongTopical tranexamic acid is supported for melasma in meta-analysis, and no specific incompatibilities with concurrent topicals (vitamin C, niacinamide, retinoids) are documented in the literature. Combination targeting of pigmentation pathways through different mechanisms is common in melasma practice.Kim 2017 · Acta Dermato-Venereologica ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Pairs worth knowing
This page is public and indexed on purpose (unlike profiles and drops, which are unlisted) — it’s the citation behind shared ingredient cards, and it should be findable.
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