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Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology Jun 2024Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory disease associated with various sequelae after skin lesion remission. Acne erythema has been considered simple erythema or a... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory disease associated with various sequelae after skin lesion remission. Acne erythema has been considered simple erythema or a vascular lesion; however, because the understanding of this disease has improved, acne erythema is currently considered an early scar with erythematous components.
AIMS
This study evaluated the efficacy of using both a 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and 1565-nm nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) for the treatment of erythematous scars caused by acne.
METHODS
Ninety patients with acne scars were equally randomized to two groups. Group A (n = 45) received treatment with the NAFL. Group B (n = 45) received treatment with the PDL and NAFL. Each patient underwent one treatment session and 4 weeks of follow-up.
RESULTS
Qualitative (χ = 12.415; p < 0.05) and quantitative (t = 2.675; p < 0.05) scores of Groups A and B were determined using a global scarring grading system and exhibited statistically significant differences. The quantitative score of Group A was higher than that of Group B (6.67 ± 3.46 vs. 4.98 ± 2.44). The erythema areas of the groups differed significantly after treatment, with Group B exhibiting more notable score improvements (5.00 [3.10, 7.10] vs. 2.80 [1.65, 4.60]; Z = 3.072; p < 0.05). The erythema regression rate of Group B (88.9%) was significantly higher than that of Group A (66.7%) (χ = 20.295; p < 0.001). Adverse events, including redness and swelling (86.6%), scabbing (78.8%), and purpura (36.6%), occurred within 7 days for 86.6% of patients.
CONCLUSIONS
The combined use of the PDL and NAFL is safe and effective for erythematous acne scars.
Topics: Humans; Lasers, Dye; Acne Vulgaris; Cicatrix; Female; Male; Erythema; Adult; Young Adult; Treatment Outcome; Low-Level Light Therapy; Lasers, Solid-State; Combined Modality Therapy; Severity of Illness Index; Adolescent
PubMed: 38426374
DOI: 10.1111/jocd.16235 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2024Postoperative scar formation is inevitable, and a gold standard management has not been established to date. Due to the fact long and large scar formation occurs in...
BACKGROUND
Postoperative scar formation is inevitable, and a gold standard management has not been established to date. Due to the fact long and large scar formation occurs in reconstructive surgery, this study analyzed the relationship between various factors in patients who received breast reconstruction using latissimus dorsi (LD) flap to investigate appropriate and effective management approaches.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Twenty-seven patients who underwent breast reconstruction between June 2014 and January 2015 received laser therapy on their LD donor site at the Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital. Scar evaluation was performed on both the surgical scar and intact skin on the contralateral side. Scar evaluation was conducted at five specific points, 2 cm from the midpoint of the scar on each side. Laser treatment was performed at 4-week intervals, and patients were then followed-up for 6 months. To assess scars, gross images were taken using the same settings. In addition, spectrophotometry was used for color assessment, durometer for texture and pressure evaluation, and Vernier calipers and height gauges for a more precise and objective approach.
RESULTS
The mean age of the participants was 45.7 years, and the mean body mass index was 22.1 kg/m The operator-evaluated scar scale scores were 107.2 and 97.3 in the experimental and control groups, respectively. In the patient-rated questionnaire, the scores were 62.3 and 59.4 in the experimental and control groups, respectively.
CONCLUSION
When analyzing early-stage postoperative scars based on various factors, laser therapy is considered a very useful scar management approach. Additionally, when performing reconstructive surgery, tension force is regarded as a significant factor to take into account since it affects scar widening.
Topics: Humans; Middle Aged; Cicatrix; Superficial Back Muscles; Surgical Flaps; Mammaplasty; Laser Therapy; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38418124
DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13509 -
Lasers in Medical Science Feb 2024The tendency to use less-invasive laser-based methods with far more obvious effectiveness has been taken into consideration today for improvement of burning scars. The... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
The efficacy, satisfaction, and safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) fractional laser in combination with pulsed dye laser (PDL) versus each one alone in the treatment of hypertrophic burn scars: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.
The tendency to use less-invasive laser-based methods with far more obvious effectiveness has been taken into consideration today for improvement of burning scars. The present study thus aimed to assess the efficacy of two laser-based techniques including pulsed dye laser (PDL) and ablative fractional CO2 laser (AFCL) and its combination on improving different aspects of burning scars regardless of the types of scar as hypertrophic or keloid scars. This randomized single-blinded clinical trial was performed on patients suffering hypertrophic or keloid burning scars. The patients were randomly assigned into three groups scheduling for treatment with PDL alone, AFCL alone, or its combination. All patients were visited before and 40 days after the last treatment session, and their scars were assessed. In all groups, significant improvement was revealed in the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score, the color of scar, vascular bed in the scar, the and height of scar and its pliability; however, the improvement in each item was more highlighted in the group receiving a combination therapy with PDL and AFCL techniques. In this regard, the highest improvement was found in vascular bed and pliability in the combination therapy group as compared to other groups. Although the superiority of the combined group was not statistically significant, due to the high percentage of improvement in total VSS and most of its indicators, it can be clinically significant. The efficacy of the treatment protocols was different considering subgroups of mature and immature scars (less than 1 year), so that more improvement in pliability of scar, vascularity, and color of scar was found in the group scheduling for PDL + AFCL as compared to those who were treated with PDL alone in immature scar group but not in mature scar group. Combined treatment can be much more effective in improving the appearance and pathological characteristics of scars than each individual treatment. This effectiveness can be seen mainly in immature scars.
Topics: Humans; Carbon Dioxide; Keloid; Lasers, Dye; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic; Hypertrophy; Burns; Personal Satisfaction
PubMed: 38376542
DOI: 10.1007/s10103-024-03976-6 -
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy :... Nov 2023Facial and neckline telangiectasias have an underestimated yet important impact on quality of life of patients with systemic scleroderma (SSc). This monocentric,... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
Efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of pulsed dye laser on facial and neckline telangiectasias in systemic scleroderma: a prospective open-label monocentric study in 21 patients.
Facial and neckline telangiectasias have an underestimated yet important impact on quality of life of patients with systemic scleroderma (SSc). This monocentric, prospective, open-label, intra-patient comparative study was conducted in 21 consecutive patients with SSc. Patients underwent 4 sessions of PDL 8 weeks apart. A final quadruple assessment was performed by several raters 2 months after the last session, based on the following criteria: change in telangiectasia number; subjective improvement score (LINKERT scale); impact on the quality of life (QoL; SKINDEX score); visual analog pain scale; adverse effects (AEs), including treatment discontinuation for PDL-induced purpura and patient satisfaction. The mean telangiectasia number decreased by 5 (32%) at the end of the protocol. Eighteen patients (85.7%) reported an improvement or a strong improvement, versus 73.81% for the expert committee. Immediate session pain (mean = 3.4/10) was slightly less than overall pain (mean = 4.6/10). Ten patients (47%) experienced at least one AE (oozing/crusts, edema, epidermal blistering), including PDL-induced purpura in 3 patients (14%). AEs were mostly transient (<1 week) and mild (CTCAE grade 1). All QoL parameters improved after treatment, and 85% of patients were satisfied.
Topics: Humans; Lasers, Dye; Pain; Prospective Studies; Purpura; Quality of Life; Scleroderma, Systemic; Telangiectasis; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38373440
DOI: 10.1080/14764172.2024.2313472 -
Annals of Plastic Surgery Jan 2024In case of excision of nasal basal cell carcinoma (BCC), bilobed flaps are considered the criterion standard of reconstruction for defect less than 15 mm in size....
In case of excision of nasal basal cell carcinoma (BCC), bilobed flaps are considered the criterion standard of reconstruction for defect less than 15 mm in size. However, there is still a risk of trapdoor deformity formation, of which its treatment is less discussed. A 44-year-old woman who was diagnosed with nasal BCC and underwent tumor excision with bilobed flap reconstruction presented with trapdoor deformity postoperatively. The computed Vancouver Scar Scale was 7. After early intervention of multiple laser modalities, including 2 sessions of 585-nm pulsed dye laser with a fluence of 9 J/cm2, pulse duration of 6 milliseconds, and spot size of 6 mm, 2940-nm Er-yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser with a pulse energy of 800-900 mJ, repetition rate of 8-9 Hz, and laser spot size of 3-7 mm, and 5 sessions of 1064-nm Nd:YAG fractional picosecond laser with a pulse energy of 2.30-2.70 mJ, repetition rate of 8 Hz, and laser spot size of 6 mm from 5 to 23 weeks postoperatively, the Vancouver Scar Scale score improved to 1, with significant reduction of trapdoor scar erythema and puffiness. Although BCC is often curable, tumor excision causes unsatisfactory appearance satisfaction problem, owing to the apparent location of the lesion. Factors, such as sebaceous tissue thickness, reconstruction over multiple aesthetic subunits of nose, and damage to nasal cartilage framework structure during tumor removal, may increase the risk of trapdoor formation. Early intervention with multiple laser treatment can significantly revise the deformity.
Topics: Female; Humans; Adult; Cicatrix; Nose; Carcinoma, Basal Cell; Lasers, Solid-State; Skin Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38286000
DOI: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000003762 -
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach,... Apr 2024Blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) lasers have potential applications in displays, sensors, and anti-counterfeiting fields owing to their outstanding optical properties....
Blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) lasers have potential applications in displays, sensors, and anti-counterfeiting fields owing to their outstanding optical properties. However, there remain challenges on lasing below 0 °C, which significantly limits the potential application of BPLC lasers in low-temperature environments. In this work, BPLC lasing below 0 °C is realized for the first time in a super-wide temperature range of -180-240 °C using a well-designed fully-polymerized BPLC system with a narrow line width of 0.0881 nm and a low lasing threshold of 37 nJ pulse. This fully-polymerized BPLC both effectively avoids low-temperature random crystallization and has excellent compatibility with dye molecules that significantly widen the lasing temperature range below 0 °C. Besides, the variations of laser peak and threshold are also revealed below 0 °C, that is, redshifted laser wavelength and increased threshold value with decreasing temperature, which contribute to a blue-shifted laser signal and a U-shaped lasing threshold in -180-240 °C. These unique laser behaviors can be ascribed to the temperature-dependent anisotropically microstructural deformation of the BP lattice. This work not only opens a door to the development of low-temperature BPLC lasers but also sets out important insights in the design of novel organic optical devices.
PubMed: 38270274
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308439 -
Advances in Wound Care Jun 2024This study is the first prospective within-patient self-controlled research seeking to investigate the safety and efficacy of 595 nm pulsed-dye laser (PDL) for the... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
This study is the first prospective within-patient self-controlled research seeking to investigate the safety and efficacy of 595 nm pulsed-dye laser (PDL) for the treatment of cleft-lip scars. This prospective, randomized, self-controlled study is based on the clinical records of the patients who received laser-assisted treatment due to bilateral cleft-lip scars. The bilateral scars were randomly assigned to the 595 nm PDL group with five consecutive sessions at 2-week intervals or control group in a blinded manner of evaluators, with subsequent follow-up for 6 months after the final treatment. Clinical efficacy and safety outcomes were evaluated by Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire (PSAQ), and other objective evaluations. A total of 18 patients were included. The 595 nm PDL-treated sides showed statistically significant improvement in VSS after treatment at follow-up compared with the baseline ( < 0.05). Interestingly, the 595 nm-PDL-treated side achieved significantly better improvement in scar pigmentation and pliability ( < 0.05). Though there was statistically significant difference between two groups ( < 0.05), the gap in overall PSAQ is not obvious. And comparison by area and coloring evaluation (E/M index) also suggests that the responses of scars to treatment by PDL were slightly improved ( < 0.05). It is the first time to apply the 595nm PDL for cleft-lip scars. It would be a better choice for the early treatment of red scar with proliferative tendency after cleft-lip surgery.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Lasers, Dye; Prospective Studies; Cicatrix; Treatment Outcome; Cleft Lip; Asian People; Adult; Adolescent; Child; Low-Level Light Therapy; Young Adult
PubMed: 38258794
DOI: 10.1089/wound.2023.0106 -
Micromachines Dec 2023Optofluidic dye lasers integrated into microfluidic chips are promising miniature coherent light sources for biosensing. However, achieving the accurate and efficient...
Optofluidic dye lasers integrated into microfluidic chips are promising miniature coherent light sources for biosensing. However, achieving the accurate and efficient tuning of lasers remains challenging. This study introduces a novel pneumatically tunable optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser in a multilayer microfluidic chip. The dye laser device integrates microfluidic channels, grating structures, and vacuum chambers. A second-order DFB grating configuration is utilized to ensure single-mode lasing. The application of vacuum pressure to the chambers stretches the soft grating layer, enabling the sensitive tuning of the lasing wavelength at a high resolution of 0.25 nm within a 7.84 nm range. The precise control of pressure and laser tuning is achieved through an electronic regulator. Additionally, the integrated microfluidic channels and optimized waveguide structure facilitate efficient dye excitation, resulting in a low pump threshold of 164 nJ/pulse. This pneumatically tunable optofluidic DFB laser, with its high-resolution wavelength tuning range, offers new possibilities for the development of integrated portable devices for biosensing and spectroscopy.
PubMed: 38258186
DOI: 10.3390/mi15010068 -
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Feb 2024The use of ablative fractional lasers to enhance the delivery of topical drugs through the skin is known as laser-assisted drug delivery. Here, we compare a novel...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The use of ablative fractional lasers to enhance the delivery of topical drugs through the skin is known as laser-assisted drug delivery. Here, we compare a novel 3050/3200 nm difference frequency generation (DFG) fiber laser (spot size: 40 µm) to a commercially used CO laser (spot size: 120 µm). The objective is to determine whether differences in spot size and coagulation zone (CZ) thickness influence drug uptake.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fractional ablation was performed on ex-vivo human abdominal skin with the DFG (5 mJ) and CO (12 mJ) lasers to generate 680 µm deep lesions. To evaluate drug delivery, 30 kDa encapsulated fluorescent dye was topically applied to the skin and histologically analyzed at skin depths of 100, 140, 200, 400, and 600 µm. Additionally, transcutaneous permeation of encapsulated and 350 Da nonencapsulated dye was assessed using Franz Cells.
RESULTS
The DFG laser generated smaller channels (diameter: 56.5 µm) with thinner CZs (thickness: 22.4 µm) than the CO laser (diameter: 75.9 µm, thickness: 66.8 µm). The DFG laser treated group exhibited significantly higher encapsulated dye total fluorescence intensities after 3 h compared to the CO laser treated group across all skin depths (p < 0.001). Permeation of nonencapsulated dye was also higher in the DFG laser treated group vs the CO laser treated group after 48 h (p < 0.0001), while encapsulated dye was not detected in any group.
CONCLUSION
The DFG laser treated skin exhibited significantly higher total fluorescence uptake compared to the CO laser. Additionally, the smaller spot size and thinner CZ of the DFG laser could result in faster wound healing and reduced adverse effects while delivering similar or greater amount of topically applied drugs.
Topics: Humans; Administration, Cutaneous; Carbon Dioxide; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Skin; Lasers, Gas
PubMed: 38226735
DOI: 10.1002/lsm.23755 -
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of... Mar 2024Additive manufacturing (AM) is widely used to fabricate 3D printed objects from Computer-aided Design (CAD) prepared using the SolidWorks CAD modelling software....
Sketching feasibility of additively manufactured different size gradient conventional hollow capsular shells (HCSs) by selective laser sintering (SLS): From design to applications.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is widely used to fabricate 3D printed objects from Computer-aided Design (CAD) prepared using the SolidWorks CAD modelling software. Different printing techniques are used to fabricate desired 3D objects; among all these techniques, it is widely accepted that SLS is one of the most effective methods of 3D printing for fabricating drug-loaded solid oral dosage forms (SODFs) in bulk quantities using the single-step process. Different SODFs, such as pills, miniprintlets, dual miniprintlets, and tablets, were fabricated with different sizes and shapes. In this study, for the first time, we introduce SLS-mediated hollow capsular shells (HCSs) with the help of the SLS 3D printing technique. This work aimed to explore the sinterability and feasibility of sketching HCSs using the SLS-mediated sintering technique with different marketed sizes of capsules ranging from 000 to 5. Here, we have utilized Kolliphor P 188 (KP 188) and Kollidon SR (KSR) in a 1:1 ratio as a matrix-forming agent and 1% charcoal as a laser absorption-enhancing material. In accordance with the CAD models, we have fabricated the gradient conventional different sizes of HCSs ranging from 000 to 5 using the constant printing parameters and composition. Fabricated all biobased HCSs were subjected to the assessment of mechanistic and physicochemical parameters using varied analytical tools. In the current study, tartrazine dye is used to assess the release pattern from HCSs, which resulted in the modified release pattern. The adapted approach will be the futuristic approach to replace animal-based gelatin capsules with pharmaceutical-grade polymer-based HCSs with a modified release with optimum mechanical strength.
Topics: Animals; Feasibility Studies; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Computer-Aided Design; Polymers; Lasers; Capsules
PubMed: 38224646
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106393