Q-Switched Nd:YAG (532 nm) Laser Versus Intra-Dermal Tranexamic Acid for Treatment of Facial Ephelides: A Split Face, Randomized, Comparative Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy and safety of intradermal injection of tranexamic acid (TXA) versus Q switched (QS) KTP (532 nm) in the treatment of facial ephelides.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized comparative split-face study included a total of 30 female patients with bilateral facial ephelides. One cheek was treated by intra-dermal TXA injections and the other was treated by QS-KTP (532 nm). Patient assessment was performed by photography, pigmentation area, severity index and spectrophotometry at baseline, 1 week after treatment, and 2 months after treatment.

RESULTS

A significant difference was found between both sides regarding the percentage change of pigmentation area, severity score (PSI) and melanin index (MI) after treatment and during follow up, favoring laser (P = 0.001). PSI decreased after treatment by 66.5% and 15.4% (laser and TXA sides respectively), further decrease after follow-up was 69.4% with laser and 26.1% with TXA. MI improved by 3.7% after KTP laser to 7.7% after follow-up and by 2.4% after TXA injections to 6.5% after follow-up. Four patients developed post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation following QS-KTP.

CONCLUSION

QS-KTP laser is superior to intradermal TXA injection in the treatment of facial ephelides. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.