Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
Clinical Application of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy and Radio Frequency for Treatment of Ocular Surface Diseases
Published on: July 3, 2025
Pilot study of intense pulsed light for the treatment of systemic sclerosis-related telangiectases
A K Murray1, T L Moore, H Richards
1Musculoskeletal Research Group, School of Translational Medicine Dermatology Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK. andrea.murray@manchester.ac.uk
Background:
Telangiectases represent microvascular changes inherent in the systemic sclerosis (SSc) disease process. Intense pulsed light (IPL) is an effective treatment for non-SSc-related cutaneous telangiectases.
Objectives:
This pilot study aimed to examine the efficacy, safety and tolerability of IPL treatment in an open study of patients with SSc.
Methods:
Patients underwent three treatments of IPL at monthly intervals and attended follow-up examinations at 1, 6 and 12 months after final treatment. Photographs, laser Doppler imaging (LDI) and thermography were used to measure changes at each visit.
Results:
Seventeen patients completed the study. Photographs were graded (compared with baseline) as: at 1-month follow-up, four 'no change', four 'improved' and eight 'much improved'; at 6-month follow-up, four 'no change', eight 'improved'; and four 'much improved'; and at 12-month follow-up (eight images were available), three 'no change', two 'improved' and three 'much improved'. Perfusion as measured by LDI (perfusion units) was significantly reduced, compared with baseline [median 2·66, interquartile range (1·78-3·93)], at 1 month [1·70 (1·07-2·55), P = 0·006] and 6 months [2·05 (1·42-2·36), P = 0·008] post-treatment, but not at 12 months [1·61 (1·14-3·22), P =0·088]. No differences were found in skin temperature between baseline and follow-up visits.
Conclusions:
In this pilot study (the first of IPL treatment for SSc-related telangiectases) most patients improved after IPL treatment. However, the degree of improvement was not maintained in all patients at 6-12 months, suggesting that further treatments may be necessary. Longer term studies of this novel treatment approach are now required.
