Epiderm-Abrasion-Assisted Intensive Pulsed Light and Radiofrequency in Aesthetic Treatment Extensive Facial Freckles

Freckles are typical epidermal pigmented disorders that occur at sun-exposed areas, presenting with dark-brown or light-brown circular hyperpigmentation. A lot of treatment modalities have been used for treatment of freckles like chemicals, electrosurgery and cryotherapy. These treatments may cause undesirable side effects such as scaring (Sarkar et al. in Indian J Dermatol 62(6):578-584, 2017). Microdermabrasion has been used in treatment of freckles; however, the results are not satisfactory, as it removes the outermost layer of the epidermis only (El-Domyati et al. in J Cosmet Dermatol 15(4):503-513, 2016). Also ablative lasers and non-ablative lasers have been used but have not proved to be completely satisfactory and share a common risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (Jang et al. in Dermatol Surg 26:231-234, 2000). In our study, we have used epiderm-abrasion-assisted intensive pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF) to study their effect in treatment of freckles.

this prospective controlled clinical trial was carried out on 48 patients, who presented with extensive facial freckles, in the period between March 2015 and April 2018. The epiderm-abrasion procedure was performed first, and then, electro-photobiomodulation sessions were started two weeks later.

This study was carried out on 48 patients, 39 female and 9 males. Their age ranged between 12 and 58 years old. According to Fitzpatrick classification, four patients were type II, 30 patients were type III, and 14 patients were type IV. The results were excellent in 32 cases, good in 12 cases, fair in four cases, and we have no poor results. Side effects like hyperpigmentation were reported in three patients (6.3%), one case grade III and two cases grade IV Fitzpatrick skin type. No cases with hypopigmentation, or scars, were reported.

Epiderm-abrasion and electro-photobiomodulation (IPL&RF) are effective methods in treatment of facial freckles. Some complications may occur post-procedure such as hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation and abnormal scarring.

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