title: Efficacy and tolerability of 5-aminolevulinic acid 0.5% liposomal spray and intense pulsed light in wrinkle reduction of photodamaged skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is effective for the treatment of photoaging.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PDT using a novel 0.5% liposome-encapsulated 5-ALA spray and an intense pulsed light (IPL) system (Ellipse Flex PPT) in reduction of periorbital and nasolabial wrinkles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy volunteers, aged 35-65 years, skin type I-III, with type 2 photoaging underwent a baseline visit, three ALA-IPL treatments once every 3 weeks, an end-of-treatment visit and a final visit 3 months after the end-of-treatment visit. Wrinkle depth was evaluated according to the modified Fitzpatrick wrinkle scale (MFWS). At the final visit, patients rated their degree of overall improvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For periorbital and nasolabial wrinkles, the differences of the average MFWS evaluation between baseline versus end-of-treatment visit, baseline versus final visit and end-of-treatment visit versus final visit were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The average overall improvement was greater for periorbital than for nasolabial wrinkles (p < 0.001). No side effects were observed during and after treatment. The degree of overall improvement was scored as excellent by 47% of the volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALA-IPL treatment using 0.5% liposome-encapsulated 5-ALA spray and Ellipse Flex PPT system is effective and safe for the treatment of type 2 photoaging reducing the PDT-associated side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology , University of L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccioni
authors.forename: Maria Concetta
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fargnoli
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schoinas
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suppa
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frascione
authors.forename: Agnese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ginebri
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.forename: Ketty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid