A study examining the safety and efficacy of a fractional laser in the treatment of photodamage on the hands

Abstract

Background: Few clinical studies have been reported in the literature documenting the efficacy of non-ablative modalities in the treatment of non-facial areas such as the hand.

Objective: The present study examined the clinical and histopathological effects of a fractional 1550 nm erbium diode fiber laser in patients with bilateral moderate hand photodamage.

Methods: Nine subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types I-III, a mean age of 57 years with an average Fitzpatrick wrinkle score of 4.44 were entered in the present study. Five to six laser treatments were administered to each individual. Physician analysis based on a quartile improvement scale for wrinkling, pigmentation, skin texture and overall photodamage was assessed at 1-month, 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits. In addition, histological analyses (H&E) were carried out on three individuals.

Results: Each photodamage characteristic exhibited statistically significant improvement or better (23%) in overall photodamage at the 6-month follow-up visit. Histologic evaluation showed a reduction in atypical keratinocytes, improvement in rete ridge formations, increased collagen density and a reduction in solar elastosis at 6 months post-treatment.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the potential of non-ablative fractional lasers for the treatment of non-facial anatomic areas such as the dorsum of the hands.