Evaluation of nonablative fractional laser treatment in scar reduction.

Fractional lasers have been used for the improvement of scar tissue in the recent years but there has not been extensive research on their impact. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) on acne, burn, and surgery/traumatic scar. The scars were also categorized as atrophic, hypertrophic, and keloid, and treatment efficacy was investigated accordingly. This is a retrospective, single-center study. Scar tissues were treated using a nonablative fractional 1550-nm Erbium glass laser in high-energy parameters at 4-week interval for 4-8 sessions. The scar regression score (SRS) was used to determine the decrease in scar appearance. Forty-six patients with acne (n:18), burn (n:13), or surgery/traumatic (n:15) scar were included. The number of sessions was higher for burn patients while SRS in burn patients was lower than in patients with acne or a surgical/traumatic scar. Evaluation according to scar types showed that atrophic scars had a significantly better response to NAFL treatment. This study indicates that NAFL treatment with the high-energy parameters has better outcomes in atrophic acne scars, while the success rate is considerably low in post-burn and keloid scars.

Long-term results of the treatment of pregnancy-induced striae distensae using a 1550-nm non-ablative fractional laser.

BACKGROUND: Striae distensae (SD) are a type of dermal scarring that is quite common and difficult to treat. Two forms are known: striae rubrae (SR) and striae albae (SA). OBJECTIVE: We compared the long-term clinical effectiveness of a 1550-nm non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) in treating SR and SA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 16 female patients (8 with SR and 8 with SA) who had developed abdominal SD during pregnancy. All underwent five moderately high-energy sessions of 1550-nm NAFL treatment at 4-week intervals. The strial widths and lengths were measured before, and 1 month and 1 year after treatment. RESULTS: The mean strial width decreased from 6.94 mm before treatment to 3.25 mm at the first follow-up visit (p = 3.95 × 10-5) and to 3.13 mm at the second follow-up visit (p = 2.44 × 10-5). Similarly, the mean strial length decreased from 6.06 to 2.88 cm at the first follow-up visit (p = 1.7 × 10-4) and to 2.75 cm at the second follow-up visit (p = 9.52 × 10-5). CONCLUSION: NAFL treatment was effective long term in both SR and SA patients.

Cutaneous foreign body granulomas associated with lipolytic cocktail: Who is the enemy, mesotherapy or drugs injected?

Mesotherapy is widely used for its lipolytic effect as an alternative procedure to surgical methods. Although many benefits of lipolytic mesotherapy have been observed, numerous side effects have also been reported. Here, we report a case of cutaneous foreign body granulomas that occurred after lipolytic mesotherapy.

Treatment of pressure ulcers with larvae of Lucilia sericata.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the use of the Lucilia sericata larvae in patients with decubitus ulcers resistant to hyperbaric oxygen treatment, vacuum-assisted closure, surgical debridement, and other conventional therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 36 patients (21 females, 15 males; mean age 63.7 years; range 16 to 90 years) who were admitted to our hospital for decubitus ulcers between February 2011 and July 2016 were included in our study. All patients had one or more lesions in the sacral region, trochanteric area, dorsal region, or on the heel of the foot. Nine patients had spinal cord injuries, six of them were injured during a car accident, and three of them had spinal cord injuries due to gunshot. One patient had concomitant lung cancer, one had heart failure, and two patients had a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Thirty three of 36 patients were admitted to the wound therapy unit within the department of emergency medicine, and three were admitted to the physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic. For each patient, Lucilia sericata maggots were applied on the lesions for 72 hours and, then, washed away. This procedure was repeated two times a week. Twenty nine patients (78.9%) had four to six sessions and seven patients (21.1%) had eight to 12 sessions. RESULTS: Twenty nine lesions (78.9%) were Grade 2 and 3 and were completely healed after four to eight treatment sessions, while seven lesions (21.1%) were completely cured at the end of 10 to 14 sessions. There was complete clearance of necrotic debris at the end of two sessions within the first week for 15 lesions, whereas 10 lesions (27.8%) were cured after four sessions within two weeks, seven lesions (19.4%) within five sessions after three weeks, and four lesions (11.1%) were treated at the end of seven sessions for four weeks. All the necrotic crusts over the surface of the ulcers were cleaned and bad odor of the lesions disappeared. CONCLUSION: Lucilia sericata larvae debridement is a rapid and effective treatment option for the management of chronic decubitus ulcers which are resistant to conventional therapies and other treatment modalities such as hyperbaric oxygen, vacuum-assisted closure, and surgical debridement.

Long-term results in low-fluence 1064-nm Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser for melasma: Is it effective?

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the safety and clinical efficacy of a low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped:yttrium aluminum garnet (QS-Nd:YAG) laser in the treatment of patients with melasma. METHODS: The study evaluated 34 melasma patients treated at a single institution using a 1064-nm QS-Nd:YAG laser. The laser parameters were 6 mm spot size and 2.5 J/cm2 fluence with multiple passes for 6-10 (median 8) sessions at 2-week intervals. Outcomes were evaluated using photography, the modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI) score, and patient satisfaction interviews after the last treatment and 1 year after the last treatment. RESULTS: After the low-fluence 1064-nm QS-Nd:YAG laser treatments, the mean mMASI score decreased from 6.7 ± 3.3 to 3.2 ± 1.6 (P < 0.01). After treatment completion, 20 of 34 patients (58.8%) rated themselves as having at least a 50% reduction in melasma severity. One year after the last treatment, recurrence was observed in 20 patients (58.8%) and the mean mMASI score increased from 3.2 ± 1.6 to 5.8 ± 1.9 in all patients. CONCLUSION: The recurrence of low-fluence 1064-nm QS-Nd:YAG laser rates in melasma was high when the long-term results were considered. This result may be attributed to certain patient and treatment-related factors.

Trichofolliculoma: a rare variant of hair follicle hamartoma.

Trichofolliculoma is a rare hair follicle hamartoma, which is often regarded as a hair follicle tumor. Mostly, it presents as a papule or nodule, involving the skin of the face and scalp area. A central, dilated keratin plugged ostium with vellus hair(s) is often present. We report a 19-year-old woman with typical clinical and histopathological findings of trichofolliculoma.