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. 2023 Nov;29(11):e13506.
doi: 10.1111/srt.13506.

Ear keloids: An innovative 3-steps combined treatment

Piccolo Domenico  1 , Crisman Giuliana  1 , Bollero Daniele  2 , Bovani Bruno  3 , Gennai Alessandro  4 , Melfa Fabrizio  5 , Tretti Clementoni Matteo  6 , Conforti Claudio  7
Affiliations

Ear keloids: An innovative 3-steps combined treatment

Piccolo Domenico et al. Skin Res Technol. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Introduction: An excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis after an injury may lead to a benign fibrous tumor, known as keloid, which does not regress spontaneously. Earlobes are a very frequent site of onset, since after a trauma (i.e., piercing) keloids may develop either on the helix and on the anterior or posterior lobe, from a few months up to several years after the injury.

Objectives: To report the effectiveness of a combined protocol of CO2 laser + Dye laser + a portable Blue LED Light medical device for Photobiomodulation Therapy (EmoLED®).

Methods: Fifty-two patients with a total of 56 ear keloids have been treated in the same session with a single CO2 laser procedure + a pulsed Dye laser procedure with an adjunctive EmoLED® procedure for 3 up to 6 min. A monthly follow-up has been performed with an adjunctive EmoLED® session in case of signs of inflammation.

Results: Among 56 treated keloids, 89.3% of them (50/56) did not recur during a follow-up period (from 6 up to 24 months, mean 16.3 months) while six keloids recurred (6/56, 10.7%) with mild thickening of the scar, thus requiring further treatments.

Conclusions: Even if an excellent outcome obtained by the synergistic effect of combined laser treatments has already been described (i.e., CO2 laser + Dye Laser), the present study showed the adjuvant procedure with EmoLED® can reduce significantly the risk of keloids recurrences.

Keywords: EmoLED®; carbon dioxide laser; keloids; pulsed dye laser.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Type I: A 1.3 cm in‐diameter pedunculated keloid of the helix, in a 18‐year‐old woman.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Type II: A sessile, 2 cm in‐diameter keloid with single nodular pattern in a 21‐year‐old man arose after an ear piercing.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Type III: A sessile with multi nodular pattern keloid in a 58‐year‐old man, arose after surgery.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Type IV: A buried keloid of the helix in a 45‐year‐old woman.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Type V: A 3.7 cm in‐diameter mixed keloid of 2.8 cm in‐diameter in a 37‐year‐old man, after an ear piercing.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Before (A—left) and after (B—right) a 3‐steps protocol. Follow up: 6 months (right).
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Before (A—left) and after (B—right) our three steps protocol. Follow up: after 6 months (C) and 1 year (D).
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Before (A—left) and after (B—right) our protocol. Follow up: 3 years (C).
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
Before (A—left) and after 3 months (B—right).
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 10
Before (A—left) and after 6 months (B—right) our protocol.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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