Aesthetic Treatment Considerations in Patients with Cutaneous Autoimmune Disease

The increasing prevalence of autoimmune disease alongside the growing popularity of cosmetic treatments has placed physicians in a unique position to understand how utilizing such treatments can serve as both beneficial and potentially harmful interventions. The objective of this study was to analyze available literature and identify areas where additional research is needed to guide use of facial aesthetic treatments in patients with cutaneous autoimmune disease.

A literature search was performed on PubMed and Google Scholar for articles describing aesthetic treatments in the setting of autoimmune disease. Additional articles were found through examining the reference sections of resulting articles.

This analysis revealed numerous gaps in the literature regarding therapeutic use of aesthetic treatments in the management of autoimmune disease. Several case reports and smaller studies suggested positive outcomes with some interventions, however larger-scale studies are needed to create generalizable guidelines for physicians regarding usage of aesthetic treatments as a therapeutic modality.

Many studies regarding both efficacy and adverse outcomes of aesthetic treatments excluded patients with cutaneous manifestations of autoimmune disease. Few articles specifically sought to analyze how individual treatments can be used for therapeutic outcomes in this patient population.

Many cosmetic treatments can serve a therapeutic role in the management of autoimmune conditions with cutaneous manifestations. Treatments such as neurotoxin, filler, light-based devices, autologous platelet-rich plasma, microneedling, and chemical peels may be selectively chosen for use in management of certain autoimmune conditions.