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Abstract
Background: Home-use devices designed for cosmetic purposes have recently gained popularity. Small, low-energy, low-cost intense pulsed light (IPL) systems provide safe, convenient, and private treatment for several medical conditions. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a home-use IPL device for hair removal, acne treatment, achieving a whitening effect for hyperpigmentation, and wrinkle reduction. Methods: Five IPL hair removal treatment sessions were performed at 1-week intervals. A total of 10 sessions were performed in a split-face manner for other medical conditions. Four independent randomized controlled trials were performed using a blind evaluation method. All subjects were followed up twice to evaluate the maintenance of efficacy. Results: A significant reduction in hair was observed via trichoscopy following two sessions of treatment (p< 0.001). A mean hair reduction of 80% was observed at week 4; however this returned to the previous state upon cessation of treatment. Acne grading decreased from 2.6 to 1.1 at week 8, and IPL treatment induced a significant reduction in melanin index after 2 weeks. The average values of the difference of R2 (Cutometer) between IPL-treated areas and baseline were higher than those of the difference of R2 between control area and baseline. Conclusion: This home-use IPL device was effective for hair removal and treatment of acne, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.
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The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intense pulsed light (IPL) irradiator system for the treatment of benign pigmented lesions.
A total of 18 patients with lentigo solaris and eight patients with melanocytic nevi were treated once with an IPL system. After 2 months, the effect was evaluated on close-up photographs.
Pigment reduction was obtained in 96% of the patients, and the average clearance was found to be 74.2% and 66.3% for lentigo solaris and melanocytic nevi, respectively.
The IPL was found to be effective for removal of benign pigmented lesions.
Background:
Despite many studies on the action of yellow light in acne, its efficacy and mechanisms of action are still unclear.
Objectives:
To determine if IPL can cause a clinical improvement in acne and whether it modifies TLR2 and TNFα expression.
Methods:
Twenty-one patients with mild to moderate acne involving their backs received 530 nm IPL treatments once every 2 weeks. Assessments at baseline and after the fourth treatment included lesion counts, Leeds grading and SER. Biopsies from the treatment area were taken at three time points. TLR2 expression was determined using immunohistochemistry, and TaqMan Low Density Arrays were used to measure TNFα, IL-8 and IL-10.
Results:
Inflamed lesion counts fell significantly by 28.0% (p = 0.002) but not the Leeds score, SER or non-inflamed lesions. A reduction in TNFα expression of 17.6% (p = 0.031) weakly correlated with the change in lesion counts. TLR2 expression fell by 2.6% (p < 0.001) but did not correlate with lesion counts. Neither IL-10 nor IL-8 expression was significantly altered.
Conclusions:
530 nm IPL significantly reduces inflammatory lesions, where its efficacy will need optimising to make it a viable treatment option. Its mechanism seems to include a novel anti-TNFα effect, independent of IL-10 up-regulation.
Hair and scalp disorders in children may originate from the hair itself, scalp skin, or infectious causes and be congenital or acquired. The most common sign is alopecia, frequently brought on by tinea capitis, patchy alopecia areata, or trichotillomania. Sometimes less frequent and clinically more elusive conditions such as initial androgenetic alopecia, congenital triangular alopecia, or alopecia areata incognita may be responsible for hair loss. The noninvasive technique known as trichoscopy is being used more frequently, aiding in the prompt differential diagnosis and follow-up of many of these diseases, oftentimes providing further examination before a treatment decision is made. This review of trichoscopy of the main scalp and hair disorders afflicting children and adolescents discusses the most important dermoscopic criteria and the usefulness of this technique.
Hair removal with professional light-based devices is established as an effective, mainstream treatment. The field of optical home-based hair removal is evolving and movement from control by physicians into hands of consumers warrants understanding efficacy and human safety.
To systematically review and evaluate the efficacy and human safety of currently available home-based optical hair removal devices.
A comprehensive Pub Med literature search was conducted which systematically identified publications of relevance. Prospective clinical trials were included whether controlled, uncontrolled or randomized and with a sample size of at least 10 individuals.
We identified a total of seven studies: one controlled (CT) and six uncontrolled trials (UCTs). No randomized controlled trials (RCT) were recognized. The best evidence was found for IPL (intense pulsed light) (three devices, one CT, five UCTs) and limited evidence for laser devices (one diode laser, one UCT). Most studies evaluated short-term hair reduction up to 3 and 6 months following light exposure at different body sites. Hair reduction percentages ranged from 6% to 72% after repetitive treatments. The most frequently reported side-effect was erythema, but oedema, blistering, crusting and pigment changes were also reported. Theoretical concerns about ocular damage and paradoxical hair growth have not been reported in any of the studies reviewed.
Available evidence from prospective, uncontrolled clinical trials indicates short-term hair removal efficacy of currently available home-use light-based hair removal devices. Additional controlled trials will be helpful to substantiate the efficacy and to better predict the incidence of adverse events associated with optical home-use hair removal.
Various laser and light therapy have been increasingly used for the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Twenty patients with facial acne were treated using intense pulsed light (IPL) on one side of the face and pulsed dye laser (PDL) on the other to compare the efficacy and safety of IPL and PDL. Treatment was performed 4 times at 2-week intervals. Treatment effectiveness was determined using lesion counts, acne severity, patient subjective self-assessments of improvement, and histopathological examinations, which included immunohistochemical staining for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta).
Numbers of total acne lesions decreased following both treatments. For inflammatory lesions such as papules, pustules and nodules, IPL-treated sides showed an earlier and more profound improvement than PDL-treated sides. However, at 8 weeks after the 4th treatment, a rebound aggravation of acne was observed on IPL-treated sides. On the contrary, PDL produced gradual improvements during the treatment sessions and these improvements lasted 8 weeks after the 4th treatment. Non-inflammatory lesions as open and closed comedones also showed improvement following both treatments and PDL-treated sides showed better improvement as the study proceeded. Histopathological examinations showed amelioration in inflammatory reactions and an increase in TGF-beta expression after both treatments, which were more prominent for PDL-treated sides.
Both PDL and IPL were found to treat acne effectively, but PDL showed a more sustained effect. TGF-beta might play a key role in the resolution of inflammatory acne lesions.
There are very few studies in the English literature that evaluate the patient satisfaction after treatment using intense pulsed light (IPL) and there is no reported study comparing the results of the three major IPL applications: rejuvenation, hair removal, and treatment of small vascular lesions. This study was designed to compare results after IPL treatment for skin rejuvenation, hair removal, and vascular lesions. Three groups of 30 consecutive patients having skin rejuvenation, hair removal, and small vascular lesions were selected and treated with the same IPL system. The evaluation was performed 1 year after the last treatment for the following parameters: age, sex, skin type, satisfaction, willingness to continue the treatment, willingness to recommend the treatment, and complications. Most of the minor complications occurred in the rejuvenation group (86.6%). No complications were recorded for 67% of patients having hair removal and for 75% having vascular lesion treatment. There was no significant difference in the level of satisfaction between the 3 groups (Kruskal Wallis test; P = 0.257). No difference regarding satisfaction was recorded in this study, but complications were more frequently encountered after rejuvenation. The findings of this study are useful when discussing IPL treatments with patients considering IPL procedures.
A noncoherent, broadband, intense pulsed light source has been effective for symptoms of photoaging skin as a nonablative method. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of efficacy of intense pulsed light for solar lentigines, a symptom of photoaging skin, with videomicroscopy and histopathology. Skin lesions of patients with solar lentigines who received one treatment of intense pulsed light were examined. Sixteen of 20 patients showed tiny crusts clinically. These tiny crusts were confirmed to be micro-crust formation after epidermal injury with sequential observation using videomicroscope and histopathology. Drop-off of micro-crusts with ample melanin pigments lead to clinical improvement of skin lesions. Intense pulsed light with absorption spectrum for melanin induced injury of melanin-containing epidermal cells via photothermal effects, suggesting that intense pulsed light may be a new modality for solar lentigines.
Intense pulsed light technology (IPL) has been used for photorejuvenation or the reversal of skin aging. There are few studies to address the putative benefits from the patients' perspective. This information is critical for adequate patient counselling and satisfaction. The goal of this study was to quantify the change in apparent facial age that can be expected from the patients' point of view. Using currently available parameters that have been individualized to patients' responses, five patients underwent treatment with IPL. Their subjective improvement scores were collected using visual analog scales. All patients showed improvement from their perspective. Quantification of this improvement showed that in this population, patients can expect, on average, a two year reduction in perceived age per treatment. This finding may be useful when discussing intense pulsed light technology with current patients and those prospective patients considering this procedure.