The effects of topical vitamin K on bruising after laser treatment.
BACKGROUND
Pulsed dye laser treatment and other cosmetic procedures result in significant bruising. Claims have been made regarding the efficacy of topical vitamin K in both preventing and speeding the clearing of bruising; however, well-controlled studies are lacking.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of topical vitamin K versus placebo in the prevention and clearing of laser-induced purpura.


METHODS
A total of 22 patients were enrolled in this double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study. The patients were divided into pretreatment and posttreatment groups; the 11 patients in the former group applied vitamin K cream to half of their face and vehicle alone to the other half of their face twice daily for 2 weeks before laser treatment. The latter group followed the same procedure for 2 weeks after laser treatment. On day 0, all subjects underwent laser treatment for facial telangiectases using a 585-nm pulsed dye laser. Bruising was rated by the both the patient and physician by means of a visual analogue scale on days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17.


RESULTS
The side of the face treated with topical vitamin K before laser therapy showed no significant difference in bruising as compared to placebo. However, the side of the face treated with vitamin K cream after laser treatment had significantly lower scores of bruising severity when compared with the side treated with placebo.


CONCLUSIONS
Although pretreatment with vitamin K did not prevent bruising after laser treatment, use of vitamin K cream after laser treatment did reduce the severity of bruising, particularly in the initial days of application.
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33125, USA.
Neha S
NS
Shah
Melissa C
MC
Lazarus
Reimo
R
Bugdodel
Sung L
SL
Hsia
Jinlin
J
He
Robert
R
Duncan
Leslie
L
Baumann
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003288:Contusions / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D014812:Vitamin K