Treatment of Acne Vulgaris Using 1,565 nm Non-ablative Fractional Laser in Combination With Isotretinoin and Pricking Blood Therapy

Patients were first treated by the 1,565nm M22-ResurFx NAFL on inflammatory papules and boxcar atrophic scars using round or rectangle light spots with similar sizes of individual lesional papules or scars. The energy fluence was 60 mJ and spot density was 150 spots/cm2. A whole face pass treatment was followed using hexagon or rectangle light spots with fluences of 40-45 mJ, density of 200 spots/cm2 and no overlap on light spots. The end points of the treatment were appearance of localized erythema, edema and bruise on treated areas. A facial sheet mask (skin repair dressing, Panion & BF Biotech Inc, Zhuhai, China) was used to clean the face after laser treatment, and the face was cooled by air cooler for 10 minutes. The patients received three treatment sessions with a 6-week interval between each session.

Subjects received oral isotretinoin (Xingyi Yan'an Pharmaceutical, Shanghai, China) (1mg/kg/d for the first 2-4 weeks and 0.5mg/kg/d for the next 12-14 weeks) for a total of 16 weeks. Serum triglycerides, cholesterol and levels of liver enzymes were monitored every month during oral isotretinoin medication.

The patients first received 2-4 weeks of oral isotretinoin medication (1mg/kg/d), followed by 1565nm M22-ResurFx NAFL treatment. Subjects were then given isotretinoin with a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg/d for the next 12-14 weeks. Laser treatment parameters and procedures were as same as in the group one above.

The patients first received 2-4 weeks of oral isotretinoin medication (1mg/kg/d), followed by 1565nm M22-ResurFx NAFL treatment. Subjects were then given isotretinoin with a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg/d for the next 12-14 weeks. Laser treatment parameters and procedures were as same as in the group one above.

The patients received the same treatments as the subjects in group (3) with additional PBT. At the end point of each session of laser treatment, an acupuncture practitioner performed a PBT in the areas within 1.5 cm radius of the five facial acupoints (Yintang, Zhukong, Sun, Yingxiang, Cuanzhu) (Figure 1). These areas usually appeared intensive erythema. A facial sheet mask was used to clean the face after PBT, and the face was cooled by air cooler for 10 minutes.

The patients received the same treatments as the subjects in group (3) with additional PBT. At the end point of each session of laser treatment, an acupuncture practitioner performed a PBT in the areas within 1.5 cm radius of the five facial acupoints (Yintang, Zhukong, Sun, Yingxiang, Cuanzhu) (Figure 1). These areas usually appeared intensive erythema. A facial sheet mask was used to clean the face after PBT, and the face was cooled by air cooler for 10 minutes.

The patients received the same treatments as the subjects in group (3) with additional PBT. At the end point of each session of laser treatment, an acupuncture practitioner performed a PBT in the areas within 1.5 cm radius of the five facial acupoints (Yintang, Zhukong, Sun, Yingxiang, Cuanzhu) (Figure 1). These areas usually appeared intensive erythema. A facial sheet mask was used to clean the face after PBT, and the face was cooled by air cooler for 10 minutes.