Assessment of the dynamics of indicators of morphological and functional characteristics of the skin in patients with the combined subtype of rosacea under the influence of complex phototherapy

Abstract

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory dermatosis of vascular origin, characterized by a lesion of the face skin in the form of erythema and papulopustular elements. Taking into account the new research devoted to the treatment of rosacea, it is of scientific and practical interest to develop new methods for the treatment of this dermatosis using complex physiotherapy approaches and their synergy, for example, IPL radiation (without the use of photo filters) and submilisecond neodymium 1,064nm laser radiation. Material and methods. The study included 130patients with the combined subtype of rosacea (CSR) with varying degrees of severity of ETR and PPR. In order to study the effectiveness of complex photo- and laser therapy of CSR, all patients were divided into 4groups by simple randomization (envelope method). The treatment of the patients in each separate group included: group I — laser therapy and 1% metronidazole cream; group II — phototherapy and 1% metronidazole cream; group III — complex photo-laser therapy and 1% metronidazole cream; group IV — comparison group, patients received only 1% metronidazole cream. This work takes into account the synergism of both physiotherapeutic effects provided by non-truncated (without the use of photo filters) IPL radiation and submilisecond neodymium 1,064 nm laser radiation, as well as the increased destruction of pathologically altered vessels observed during the sequential use of both procedures, and the developed original method of treating patients with CSR. Conclusion. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the maximum improvement in the morphofunctional parameters of the skin was in the third group of patients with CSR. The increase in the hydration index of the skin exceeded the indicators of the other groups of patients with CSR. Also, the intensity of sebum production decreased most significantly. There was a maximum narrowing of the excretory ducts of the sebaceous glands, while in the other groups, the narrowing of the excretory ducts of the sebaceous glands occurred to a lesser and equal extent. Such changes reflect the pronounced effect of complex phototherapy on the tone of the sphincter of the excretory duct, the intensity of sebum production, as well as on the synthesis of collagen and elastin, which is reflected in the maximum approximation to the indicators of the group of healthy volunteers of such characteristics as «hydration» and «smoothness».