Noninvasive rejuvenation of photodamaged skin using serial, full-face intense pulsed light treatments

BACKGROUND. Photodamaged skin is characterized not only by rhytides, but also by epidermal and dermal atrophy, rough skin texture, irregular pigmentation, telangiectasias, laxity, and enlarged pores. There is growing interest in the development of noninvasive methods to treat photodamaged skin. Skin photorejuvenation is the visible improvement of photodamaged skin using a laser or other light source. A noncoherent, broadband, pulsed light source is effective in the treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions of the skin. This study evaluates the role of intense pulsed light in the rejuvenation of photo aged skin. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and quantify the degree of visible improvement in photodamaged skin following a series of full-face, intense pulsed light treatments. METHODS. Forty-nine subjects with varying degrees of photo-damage were treated with a series of four or more full-face treatments at 3-week intervals using a nonablative, nonlaser intense pulsed visible light source. Fluences varied from 30 to 50 J/cm(2). Subject evaluation and skin biopsies were used to assess treatment results. RESULTS. All aspects of photodamage including wrinkling, skin coarseness, irregular pigmentation, pore size, and telangiectasias showed visible improvement in more than 90% of subjects with minimal downtime and no scarring. Eighty-eight percent of subjects were satisfied with the overall results of their treatments. CONCLUSION. Treatment of photodamaged facial skin using a series of full-face treatments with intense pulsed light is a new and effective noninvasive method of skin rejuvenation with minimal risk and no patient downtime.