Prospective, randomized, evaluator‐blinded study of the long pulse 532‐nm KTP laser alone or in combination with the long pulse 1064‐nm Nd: YAG laser on facial rejuvenation in Asian skin

Background and Objective Hyperpigmentation is a common concern in Asian patients. Few published studies address overall skin rejuvenation in this group using long‐pulse (LP) laser to target pigmentation and stimulate dermal remodeling. The LP KTP 532‐nm laser (LP 532‐nm) is used primarily to remove epidermal lesions, while the LP Nd: YAG 1064‐nm laser (LP 1064‐nm) is used to stimulate dermal remodeling in Asian patients with varying efficacy. The LP 532‐nm used alone and in combination with LP 1064‐nm to reduce pigmentation and rejuvenate skin was previously evaluated in lighter skin, but not in Asian skin. We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of using LP 532‐nm for overall photorejuvenation, with and without LP 1064‐nm. Study Design/Materials and Methods Four treatments were administered at 3‐week intervals to 22 Japanese females with photodamaged facial skin and bilateral solar lentigines. A direct split‐face treatment with LP 532‐nm was used on the full‐face, and an additional, randomized LP 1064 treatment was administered to one‐half of the face. Patients were not fully aware which side of the face was treated with which treatment. Results were evaluated at each treatment, and at 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐up visits. Results Scoring of a modified pigment severity index (mPSI) and measurement of the melanin index (MI) showed that facial skin treated with LP 532‐nm alone and in combination with LP 1064‐nm resulted in improvement at the 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐up ( P < 0.001), but there was no difference between the two sides of the face. Notably, the three dimensional analysis of skin surface showed improvements for the dual‐wavelength treatments with significant differences between the two sides ( P = 0.003). Most patients reported moderate improvement and were extremely satisfied or satisfied with the outcome. Adverse events were minor and rare. Conclusions Pigment‐related skin rejuvenation using LP 532‐nm appears to be safe and effective for Asian skin. The addition of LP 1064‐nm showed no clinical difference but the subtle difference was detected by the 3D analyzing device. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:844–851, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.