Clinical improvement of solar lentigines and ephelides with an intense pulsed light source

BACKGROUND. A noncoherent, broadband, intense pulsed light (IPL) source has been used for the symptoms of photoaging skin as a nonablative method. OBJECTIVE. To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of IPL in solar lentigines and ephelides on the face. METHODS. An open study was performed in patients with solar lentigines and ephelides who received three to five treatments of IPL. RESULTS. Forty-eight percent of patients had more than 50% improvement and 20% had more than 75% improvement. In the group of solar lentigines, 40% of patients showed more than 50% improvement and 16% had more than 75% improvement. Patients with small plaques of solar lentigines responded well, whereas patients with small + large and large plaques showed poor response. Patients with solar lentigines + ephelides and ephelides responded remarkably with 75% and 71% of patients, respectively, having more than 50% improvement. CONCLUSION. IPL was well tolerated and may be a new modality for the therapy of solar lentigines and ephelides.