Treatment Indications of Carbon Solution-Assisted Nd:YAG Laser According to Patient Satisfaction: A Retrospective Study

Hüray Hügül; Defne Özkoca; Murat Kirişçi; Zekayi Kutlubay

doi:10.5826/dpc.1304a219

Treatment Indications of Carbon Solution-Assisted Nd:YAG Laser According to Patient Satisfaction: A Retrospective Study

Authors

Hüray Hügül Free Dermatologist, Antalya, Turkey
Defne Özkoca Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical Faculty, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa, Turkey
Murat Kirişçi Department of Biostatistics, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Turkey
Zekayi Kutlubay Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical Faculty, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa, Turkey

Keywords:

acne, carbon, Nd:YAG, laser

Abstract

Background: Carbon solution-assisted Nd:YAG lasers were previously used in enlarged pores; hair removal; acne and acne scars; and facial rejuvenation.

Objective:The aim of this study is to determine the patient satisfaction for different treatment indications of carbon solution-assisted 1064 nm Nd:YAG lasers.

Patients and Method: This is a retrospective study that included the patients who were treated with carbon solution-assisted 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser with any indication in a private dermatology practice. A pre-prepared carbon solution was applied 30 minutes before the laser treatment with the following parameters: a spot size of 8mm, fluence of 1.3 J/cm2 and a frequency of 8Hz. Patient satisfaction was assesed with GAIS.

Results: A total of 272 patients were included; of these 70 patients had acne lesions, 135 patients had melasma, 27 patients had post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, 17 patients had ephelides and 23 patients had solar lentigines. The mean patient satisfaction for solar lentigo patients (4.35/5) was greater than for that of acne patients (4.26/5) which was greater than that of ephelide patients (3.94/5) which was greater than that of melasma patients (3.67/5) which was greater than that of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation patients (2.30/5)

Conclusion: This study revealed that carbon solution-assisted 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser therapy is effective in the treatment of solar lentigo, acne vulgaris, ephelides and melasma. However, it fails to provide therapeutic efficacy in post inlammatory hyperpigmentation.

References

Wattanakrai P, Rojhirunsakool S, Pootongkam S. Split-face comparison of long-pulse-duration neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) 1,064-nm laser alone and combination long-pulse and Q-switched Nd:YAG 1,064-nm laser with carbon photoenhancer lotion for the treatment of enlarged pores in Asian women. Dermatol Surg. 2010;36:1672-80.

Lee MC, Hu S, Chen MC, Shih YC, Huang YL, Lee SH. Skin rejuvenation with 1,064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser in Asian patients. Dermatol Surg. 2009;35:929-32.

Zheng Z, Kim J, Choi MJ, Goo B, Chun SI, Cho SB. Histometric changes and epidermal FGF9 expression in carbon photoenhancer-assisted Nd:YAG laser treatment. J Dermatolog Treat. 2014;25:278-82.

Chung H, Goo B, Lee H, Roh M, Chung K. Enlarged pores treated with a combination of Q-switched and micropulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser with and without topical carbon suspension: A simultaneous split-face trial. Laser Ther. 2011;20:181-8.

Roh MR, Chung HJ, Chung KY. Effects of various parameters of the 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of enlarged facial pores. J Dermatolog Treat. 2009;20:223-8.

Jung JY, Hong JS, Ahn CH, Yoon JY, Kwon HH, Suh DH. Prospective randomized controlled clinical and histopathological study of acne vulgaris treated with dual mode of quasi-long pulse and Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser assisted with a topically applied carbon suspension. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012;66:626-33.

Goldberg DJ, Littler CM, Wheeland RG. Topical suspension-assisted Q-switched Nd:YAG laser hair removal. Dermatol Surg. 1997;23:741-5.

Rezaee Khiabanloo S, Jebreili R, Aalipour E, Eftekhari H, Saljoughi N, Shahidi A. Innovative techniques for thread lifting of face and neck. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18:1846-55.

Kaminaka C, Furukawa F, Yamamoto Y. The Clinical and Histological Effect of a Low-Fluence Q-Switched 1,064-nm Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser for the Treatment of Melasma and Solar Lentigenes in Asians: Prospective, Randomized, and Split-Face Comparative Study. Dermatol Surg. 2017;43:1120-33.

Ortonne JP, Pandya AG, Lui H, Hexsel D. Treatment of solar lentigines. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54:S262-71.

Engin B, Tanakol A, Özkoca D, Kutlubay Z, Serdaroğlu S. A prospective study evaluating the effectiveness of Q-switched ND-YAG laser (KTP) in the treatment of solar lentigines with a skin analysis device. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32:e12877.

Bohnert K, Dorizas A, Sadick N. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, split-face pilot study comparing Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG versus 532-nm Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of solar lentigines. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2018;20:395-7.

Vachiramon V, Panmanee W, Techapichetvanich T, Chanprapaph K. Comparison of Q-switched Nd: YAG laser and fractional carbon dioxide laser for the treatment of solar lentigines in Asians. Lasers Surg Med. 2016;48:354-9.

Chun SI, Calderhead RG. Carbon assisted Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment with two different sets of pulse width parameters offers a useful treatment modality for severe inflammatory acne: a case report. Photomed Laser Surg. 2011;29:131-5.

Conforti C, Guida S, Dianzani C, Turco P, Cazzato V, Zalaudek I, Piccolo D. Carbon Peeling Laser Treatment to Improve Skin Texture, Pores and Acne Lesions: A Retrospective Study. Medicina. 2022; 58(11):1668.

Ungaksornpairote C, Manuskiatti W, Junsuwan N, Wanitphakdeedecha R. A Prospective, Split-Face, Randomized Study Comparing Picosecond to Q-Switched Nd: YAG Laser for Treatment of Epidermal and Dermal Pigmented Lesions in Asians. Dermatol Surg. 2020;46:1671-5.

Sayed KS, Tuqan S, Hilal RF. Q-Switched Nd:YAG (532 nm) Laser Versus Intra-Dermal Tranexamic Acid for Treatment of Facial Ephelides: A Split Face, Randomized, Comparative Trial. Lasers Surg Med. 2021;53:324-32.

Suh KS, Sung JY, Roh HJ, Jeon YS, Kim YC, Kim ST. Efficacy of the 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser in melasma. J Dermatolog Treat. 2011;22:233-8.

Sofen B, Prado G, Emer J. Melasma and Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Management Update and Expert Opinion. Skin Therapy Lett. 2016;21:1-7.

Shenoy A, Madan R. Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: A Review of Treatment Strategies. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:763-8.

Cho SB, Park SJ, Kim JS, Kim MJ, Bu TS. Treatment of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation using 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with low fluence: report of three cases. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2009;23:1206-7.

Feng J, Huang L. Treatment of permanent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation with medium-fluence medium-spot-size setting in Q-switched Nd: YAG 1064 nm laser: A novel treatment parameters setting strategy. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021.