The use of fractional radiofrequency in Asian patients to improve skin texture.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fractional radiofrequency devices have been demonstrated to improve skin texture, such as smoothness, rhytides, brightness, and atrophic acne scars, by increasing dermal thickness, dermal collagen content, and dermal fibrillin content. The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of this device on Asian patients of skin type III and IV with skin textural changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a prospective, open-labeled single-arm study, which was conducted with 20 Chinese patients aged 21-60 years and having irregularities in their skin texture, rhytides, and acne scars. The patients received six treatments at intervals of 4 weeks. Treatment was initiated with the maximum energy tolerated, which was then adjusted during the course of treatment if the patients felt excessive discomfort. A total of two passes were delivered in each session. Physician assessment results and standardized photographs were collected at the baseline, after all treatment visits, and at 1, 2, and 6 months after the final treatment visit. RESULTS: A total of 17 patients completed the study according to the established protocol. At the 6-month follow-up, 71% of patients were satisfied and 24% of patients were very satisfied with the received treatments, and the treatment physician reported varying degrees of improvement based on the global assessment scale in 60% of the subjects. While the anticipated side effects, such as erythema, edema, pinpoint bleeding, scab formation, and flare of acne, were noted in the patients, no serious adverse effects occurred. CONCLUSION: The use of fractional radiofrequency improves skin texture and is safe for use in Asian patients of skin type III and IV. No long-term serious adverse effects were noted.

Evaluation of a Novel Dermal Cooling System for the Treatment of Benign Pigmented Lesions in Asians.

OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this novel dermal cooling system (DCS) in reducing pigmentation in benign pigmented lesions in Asian patients and its potential side effects. METHODS: It was a prospective open-label single-center study. Asian patients, with the presence of benign pigmented lesions mainly including lentigines, melasma, nevus spilus, ephelides, café au lait, and seborrheic keratosis were recruited for a novel DCS. The DCS provided localized cooling of the epidermal layer below freezing but was less intense than cryotherapy. Each patient received DCS at Week 0 and repeated at 4-week intervals up to 10 sessions. Global aesthetic improvement scores (GAIS) by blinded physicians and subjects were recorded at 2, 6, and 12 months posttreatment follow-up. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were recruited with a total of 305 sessions performed and 1716 lesion sites treated. At 2-month posttreatment, 76.5% and 58.6% treatment sites showed obvious to marked improvement respectively and the improvement sustained at 6 and 12 months. Only minor adverse events were reported. Erythema and edema were the most commonly anticipated effects immediately after treatment. The pain was minimal. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was only reported in 2.2% (38/1716) treated sites. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study was the first study to demonstrate that this novel DCS was an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for benign pigmented lesions in Asians.

Fractional 1064 nm Picosecond Laser in Treatment of Melasma and Skin Rejuvenation in Asians, A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Facial melasma is a disfiguring pigmentation and occurs frequently with aging skin. Topical treatment alone was often suboptimal. A recent study showed that fractional picosecond laser has promising result in benign pigmentary lesions. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of 1064 nm picosecond laser in treatment of facial melasma and skin rejuvenation in Asian skin. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients of Asian descent seeking treatment for facial melasma and skin rejuvenation were screened and recruited. Each patient received up to nine laser treatments at 4-6 weeks intervals with a fractionated nonablative 1064 nm picosecond laser. Baseline and posttreatment modified Melasma Area Severity Index (mMASI) and Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (IGAS) were assessed by blinded investigators based on the clinical photographs. Subject overall satisfaction was assessed by the questionnaires after treatment. All adverse events were documented. RESULTS: Twenty patients were recruited with a median age of 52.7 ± 8.2 years. Three subjects had Fitzpatrick skin type III and 17 had skin type IV. All subjects received nine laser sessions. Over 70% of patients were satisfied with the treatment outcomes. There was a statistically significant improvement in mMASI which reduced from 10.8 at baseline to 2.7 and 3.6 at 6 and 12 weeks post-treatment, respectively (both P < 0.01). For skin rejuvenation, 70% reported at least a moderate improvement at 6 weeks of post-treatment. No major side-effect was reported. Erythema was the most frequent transient response, while some reported edema (1.1%). Both resolved spontaneously. None reported hypo- or hyperpigmentation after treatment. The overall mean pain scare (VAS) was 1.92. CONCLUSION: Fractionated non-ablative 1064 nm picosecond laser was effective in treatment of melasma and skin rejuvenation. It was also safe and well tolerated. Importantly, there was no hypo or hyperpigmentation reported. Lasers Surg. Med. 00:00-00, 2021. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Longitudinal Changes in Skin Microbiome Associated with Change in Skin Status in Patients with Psoriasis.

The aim of this study was to identify key microbes associated with change in skin status (lesional vs normal). Longitudinal changes in the skin microbiome between patients with psoriasis and healthy family controls living in the same household were studied using whole genome metagenomic shotgun sequencing at 4 time-points. There were significant changes in abundance of the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni and its higher taxonomic levels when the skin status of patients with psoriasis changed. There were significant longitudinal variations in alpha diveristy (p < 0.001) and beta diversity (p < 0.05) of the skin microbiome in patients with psoriasis, but not in the healthy control group, which indicated composition of skin microbiome in patients with psoriasis was different from healthy control and was dynamically less stable. This study will serve as the basis for future temporal studies of the skin microbiome and probiotic therapeutics.

A Prospective Study in the Treatment of Lentigines in Asian Skin Using 532 nm Picosecond Nd:YAG Laser.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety and efficacy of treatment with the picosecond Nd:YAG 532 nm for lentigines in Asian skin. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, open-label cohort study, using a novel picosecond 532-nm laser for the treatment of facial lentigines. Subjects received up to three laser treatments every 4-6 weeks and were assessed at 4 and 12 weeks after final treatment. Primary endpoint was degree of improvement in lentigines at 12 weeks after the final treatment, assessed by treating investigator based on Physicians Global Assessment. Secondary end-points included degree of improvement in lentigines at 12 weeks after final treatment, assessed by subject (Subject's Global Assessment), and change in mean relative Melanin index (MI) value at 3 months after final treatment as compared to baseline as assessed by mexameter measurement. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients (3 male, and 17 female) of Asian-descent with Fitzpatrick skin type III and IV, with lentigines on the face were included in this study. A total of 89 lesions were treated with the laser setting of 532-nm, 750 picoseconds, fluence of 0.2-0.5 J/cm 2 , and spot size of 4 mm. One hundred and thirty-seven treatment sessions were given in total. Eighteen patients (90%) achieved a moderate to significant improvement at 12-week follow-up based on a 5-grade physician global assessment scale. The improvement rate of relative MI (MI in the lesion minus normal skin) was 33.30 ± 18.71 and 37.63 ± 19.25% at 4- and 12-week follow-up. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) occurred in 14 of 137 sessions (10.2%), and hypopigmentation occurred in one patient with five lesions (3.6%). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that using picosecond Nd:YAG laser 532 nm for removal of solar lentigines in darker skin type appears to be safe and effective. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LIMITATIONS: Small study group.