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. 2020 May;33(3):e13288.
doi: 10.1111/dth.13288. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Cryopeeling versus trichloroacetic acid peeling in the treatment of solar lentigines: Effect on epidermal Langerhans cells

Nagwa Essa Abd Elazim  1 , Rania Makboul  2 , Sally Nasef Botros  1 , Sara Mohamed Awad  1
Affiliations

Cryopeeling versus trichloroacetic acid peeling in the treatment of solar lentigines: Effect on epidermal Langerhans cells

Nagwa Essa Abd Elazim et al. Dermatol Ther. 2020 May.

Abstract

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peeling may be effective in solar lentigines, but with concerns regarding potential tumorigenesis. Cryopeeling would be better with improving the whole sun-damaged skin. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of cryopeeling and TCA 35% peeling for treatment of solar lentigines and assess their influence on the number of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC). Twenty-five patients were treated with TCA 35% and cryopeeling on the right and left hands, respectively. Two sessions were done 3 weeks apart. Evaluations were scheduled at weeks 0, 3, and 6. Skin biopsies, taken before and after treatment, were evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically for the number of CD1a + epidermal LCs. Lentigines decreased after cryopeeling from the first session (p < .001), but after the second session with TCA peeling (p = .004). Cryopeeling produced significant lightening, compared with TCA (p = .015). Blistering, hyper/hypopigmentation were reported with cryopeeling, whereas only hyperpigmentation was noted after TCA peeling. The LCs remained at about the pretreatment number after cryopeeling (p = .058), though they decreased after TCA (p = .002). Cryopeeling provided faster and superior improvement of lentigines compared with TCA peeling. Furthermore, TCA seems to suppress LCs raising the concern for carcinogenic potential.

Keywords: Langerhans cells; chemical peeling; cryopeeling; cryotherapy; solar lentigines; trichloroacetic acid.

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References

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