Efficacy of pulsed dye laser versus intense pulsed light in the treatment of striae distensae.
BACKGROUND
Pulsed dye laser (PDL) and intense pulsed light (IPL) have been used to treat striae distensae.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the difference between the treatment efficacy of PDL and IPL on striae distensae.


METHODS
Twenty patients with age ranging from 15 to 42 years were included in this study. All patients were treated on one side of their bodies with PDL and on the other side with IPL for 5 sessions with a 4-week interval between the sessions. Skin biopsies were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, orcein, Alcian blue, and anticollagen I α1.


RESULTS
After both PDL and IPL, striae width was decreased and skin texture was improved in a highly significant manner. Collagen expression was increased in a highly significant manner after PDL and IPL. However, PDL induced the expression of collagen I in a highly significant manner compared with IPL, where p values were <.001 and .193, respectively. Striae rubra gave a superior response with either PDL or IPL compared with striae alba, which was evaluated clinically by the width, color, and texture, although the histological changes could not verify this consequence.


CONCLUSIONS
Both PDL and IPL can enhance the clinical picture of striae through collagen stimulation.
*Dermatology Department, National Institute of Laser Enhanced Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; †Dermatology Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Cairo, Egypt; ‡Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hisham
H
Shokeir
Ahmed
A
El Bedewi
Safinaz
S
Sayed
Ghada
G
El Khalafawy
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000528:radiation effects; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D062325:Intense Pulsed Light Therapy / Q000379:methods; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D057896:Striae Distensae / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D024042:Collagen Type I