Clinical Improvement of Photodamaged Skin after a Single Intense Pulsed Light Treatment

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Photoaging is clinically characterized by irregular pigmentation (freckling, lentigines, persistent hyperpigmentation), dryness/roughness, telangiectasia, wrinkling, elastosis, and inelasticity. Currently available medical literature documents using intense pulsed light (IPL) 3 to 5 times to achieve satisfactory improvement. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Twenty patients of Fitzpatrick skin types I–III, each with components of photodamaged skin including telangiectasias, dyschromia, skin roughness, enlarged pore size, and/or rhytides—participated in the study and were treated with a single Lumenis One IPL. Pretreatment and posttreatment photographs were graded by 2 independent physicians as to percent improvement. Results: After 1 treatment with the Lumenis One IPL, results showed an average improvement of 40% in resolving telangiectasias, dyspigmentation, and fine wrinkling. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that as much as a 40% improvement in the overall appearance of photoaging can be obtained after a single treatment with the Lumenis One IPL. Previous studies with IPL using the Lumenis Photoderm, Vasculite, or Quantum systems found that 3 to 5 treatments were needed to obtain a similar improvement. These IPL systems have a smaller spot size, a different energy output profile, and a cutaneous cooling mechanism that may explain their decreased efficacy compared with the Lumenis One.