The clinical and electron microscopic evaluation of the impact of pulsed dye laser techniques on solar lentigines (randomized clinical trial)

Abstract

Background

Solar lentigines are skin lesions manifested by benign dark pigmentation causing a cosmetic problem in many patients. Several treatment modalities used for the management of solar lentigines. Side effects and rates of recurrence may be associated with them.

Objective

Treating solar lentigines with two different techniques of pulsed dye laser (PDL) and evaluation of the results both clinically and via the examination of ultrastructural changes by electron microscopy.

Patients and methods

This study was conducted on 22 subjects with solar lentigines and having Fitzpatrick III–IV skin types, was managed by the use of PDL after enrolling them into two groups. Group I (one stacked PDL was used) and Group II (treated by stacked PDL in two sessions, 1 month apart). At baseline and 6 months after treatment, two punch biopsies with a diameter of 2 mm were taken from all patients. All taken biopsies were prepared for light and electron microscopic examinations.

Results

Both PDL techniques induced significant better clinical and histological outcomes. No one demonstrated any postoperative complications such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring.

Conclusions

The two techniques of PDL are efficient for solar lentigines treatment.

Keywords:

• Pulsed dye laser
• electron microscope
• solar lentigines
• ultrastuctural study

Ethical approval

Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Faculty of Medicine Tanta University, Egypt. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Informed consent

All patients participated in this study signed informed consent.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).