Quantitative analysis of collagen after intense pulsed light and erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser treatment on rabbit skin.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) and ablative 2.940 nm erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er: YAG) laser on dynamic changes in collagen by quantitative analysis of type I collagen (Col I) and type III collagen (Col III), transforming growth factor (TGF), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the dermis of rabbits.

METHODS

Backs of ten rabbits were divided into four treatment areas: IPL normal energy group, IPL high-energy group, erbium laser normal energy group, and erbium laser high-energy group. HE staining was performed immediately after the first treatment and two weeks after the first treatment. Col I, Col III, TGF-β1, and MMP-1 were collected by real-time PCR at baseline, 2 weeks after each session, and three months after the entire treatment monthly.

RESULTS

HE staining showed that collagen fibers in the superficial layer of the dermis in the four treatment groups were increased and thickened to different degrees. Real-time PCR showed that statistically differences were noted in each checkpoint before and after treatments in the four groups, whereas no significant difference in the change in the four biomarkers was found among the four treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

Both the IPL and Er: YAG laser can effectively upregulate collagens, but in this experiment, there was no significant difference in the therapeutic effect among the four irradiation groups. Moreover, the high-energy level group tended to bring more serious epidermal injury.