The impact on quality-of-life following treatment of surgical facial scars with laser-based therapy: a scoping review.

Post-surgical scarring impacts quality of life (QOL) and is a significant source of morbidity. Existing treatments targeted at improving the appearance and morbidity of scarring include laser-based therapies. Although lasers are frequently used to improve scar appearance, the effects on QOL are unclear. A scoping review was conducted to assess the impact of laser-based therapy for patients with surgical facial scarring on QOL. Throughout literature review was conducted with the guidance of a medical librarian. Relevant articles underwent two rounds of screening by two, independent reviewers. Data were extracted from each article and later analyzed. Of the four articles analyzed, laser-based therapies were demonstrated as effective in improving QOL for patients with facial scars resultant from surgical intervention. Laser-based therapy should be considered when treating facial scarring resultant from surgical intervention, as it has been shown to improve patient QOL. Standardization of QOL assessment and further studies expanding scar inclusion should be pursued given the paucity of information found through this review.

Treatment of Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea With Pulsed-Dye Laser and Oxymetazoline 1.0% Cream: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulsed-dye laser (PDL) and oxymetazoline 1.0% cream are each used for the treatment of erythematotelangiectatic (ET) rosacea. PDL targets oxyhemoglobin and can reduce facial erythema and telangiectasias. Oxymetazoline 1.0% cream is an α adrenergic agonist, which has shown to reduce facial erythema. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of erythema improvement and telangiectasia clearance after combination treatment with PDL plus oxymetazoline 1.0% cream. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at two sites. Pre- and post-treatment cross-polarized images from subjects on combination treatment with PDL and oxymetazoline 1.0% cream were graded by a board-certified dermatologist at each practice. Blinded images were analyzed using the Clinical Erythema Assessment (CEA) Scale (0 = clear and 4 = severe). Unblinded images were analyzed using the five-point Telangiectasia Scale to determine the degree of improvement post-treatment compared with baseline (1 = <5% clearance and 5 = 75-100% clearance). RESULTS: Thirty-one subjects (20 females, 11 males) of age 51 ± 13 years (mean ± standard deviation) were included in the study after an average of 4 months (range: 1-13) of daily oxymetazoline 1.0% cream and two (range: 1-4) PDL treatments. At baseline, 87% of subjects had CEA Grade 2 (mild erythema) or higher. For erythema, 55% of subjects improved by at least one CEA grade and 13% achieved two grades of improvement post-treatment. For telangiectasias, 90% of subjects achieved at least a two-point clearance (5-25%), 62% at least a three-point clearance (25-50%), and 41% at least a four-point clearance (50-75%) post-treatment. Compared with subjects with baseline CEA Grade 1-2 (almost clear to mild erythema), significantly more subjects with baseline CEA Grade 3-4 (moderate to severe erythema) achieved at least one CEA grade of improvement (P = 0.021) and two grades of CEA improvement (P = 0.041). A higher percentage of baseline CEA Grade 3-4 subjects achieved at least a two-point clearance in telangiectasias (P = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Combination treatment with PDL and daily oxymetazoline 1.0% cream can safely and effectively reduce erythema and telangiectasias. Limitations include the retrospective design of the study, small sample size, and lack of a control group. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Introduction to photobiology.

Photobiology is the study of the local and systemic effects of incident radiation on living organisms. Solar radiation is made up of ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation. Ultraviolet radiation is made up of UV-C, UV-B, and UV-A. Sun exposure can lead to sunburn, tanning, vitamin D production, photoaging, and carcinogenesis. Phototherapy is the use of nonionizing radiation to treat cutaneous disease. Various types of artificial light sources are used for photo testing and phototherapy.

Effect of botanicals on inflammation and skin aging: analyzing the evidence.

The skin and its immune system manifest a decline in physiologic function as it undergoes aging. External insults such as ultraviolet light exposure cause inflammation, which may enhance skin aging even further leading to cancer and signs of photoaging. There is a potential role for botanicals as an adjunct modality in the prevention of skin aging. Numerous over-the-counter anti-aging products are commercially available, many of which boast unverified claims to reduce stress, inflammation and correct signs of aging. In this article we reviewed the scientific literature for data on frequently published "anti-inflammaging" additives such as vitamins A, C and E and green tea. We also analyzed the evidence available on five promising ingredients commonly found in anti-aging products, namely, argan oil, rosemary, pomegranate, Coenzyme Q10, and Coffeeberry. Though there may be an increasing amount of scientific data on a few of these novel botanicals, in general, there remains a lack of clinical data to support the anti-aging claims made.