Role of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) in the rejuvenation of photo-aged skin

Photo-damaged skin is characterized not only by wrinkles and creases but also by epidermal and dermal atrophy, rough skin texture, irregular pigmentation, talengiectasis , laxity and enlarged pores. There is growing interest in the development of noninvasive methods to treat photo-damaged skin. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), a non-coherent, broadband, pulsed light source is effective in the treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions of the skin. This study evaluates the role of IPL in the rejuvenation of photo-aged skin.

Full face skin of 20 women was treated for photo-aging using IPL. Light emitted at the cut off filter of 560nm and energy emissions varying from 28-32 j/cm2 were utilized for 3 or 4 treatment sessions at intervals of 4 weeks. Patients and physicians evaluated rhythids, mottled pigmentation, and talengiectasis. Reviscometer & Mexameter devices were used to assess treatment results.

Two aspects of photo-damage including wrinkling and mottled pigmentation showed mild to moderate improvement in 25% and 20% of subjects respectively. Talengiectasis showed mild improvement in 5% of subjects. Twenty-five percent of subjects were satisfied with the overall result of their treatments.

Non ablative skin remodeling using IPL is in its infancy. Results of this study showed that photo-rejuvenation by intense pulsed light is not an effective method of skin rejuvenation.