Intense Pulsed Light: Friend or Foe? Molecular Evidence to Clarify Doubts

Intense pulsed light (IPL) has been extensively applied in the field of dermatology and aesthetics; however, the long-term consequences of its use are poorly unknown, and to the best of our knowledge there is no study on the effect of IPL in neoplastic lesions. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying IPL application in the skin, we used an animal model of carcinogenesis obtained by chemical induction with 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA).

Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were administered DMBA and/or TPA and treated with IPL. Skin was evaluated by histopathology and 2DE-blot-MS/MS analysis.

Our data evidenced an inflammatory response and a metabolic remodeling of skin towards a glycolytic phenotype after chronic exposure to IPL, which was accomplished by increased oxidative stress and susceptibility to apoptosis. These alterations induced by IPL were more notorious in the DMBA sensitized skin. Keratins and metabolic proteins seem to be the more susceptible to oxidative modifications that might result in loss of function, contributing for the histological changes observed in treated skin.

Data highlight the deleterious impact of IPL on skin phenotype, which justifies the need for more experimental studies in order to increase our understanding of the IPL long-term safety.