Treatment of Persistent Facial Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation With Novel Pulse-in-Pulse Mode Intense Pulsed Light

BACKGROUNDPostinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is an acquired hypermelanosis induced by various causes including inflammatory dermatoses, injury, or cosmetic procedures, such as lasers or chemical peels, and it tends to affect dark-skinned people with greater frequency and severity. There are a variety of treatment options for PIH, including topical agents, chemical peels, laser, and light therapy. However, the results are not up to expectation.OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to examine the clinical efficacy and safety of novel pulse-in-pulse mode intense pulsed light (IPL) for the treatment of persistent facial PIH in Korean patients.MATERIALS AND METHODSTwenty-five Korean female patients (Fitzpatrick skin types ?-V) with persistent facial PIH were enrolled in the study. The patients were treated with novel pulse-in-pulse mode IPL for 4 sessions at 1-week interval and 4 sessions at 2-week intervals. Treatment efficacy and patient satisfaction were evaluated using photographs and questionnaires.RESULTSAfter 2 months of all treatments, 23 patients (92%) had more than 50% improvement and 22 patients (88%) were satisfied with the treatments. No adverse effects or aggravations were reported.CONCLUSIONThe pulse-in-pulse mode IPL treatment is effective and safe for persistent facial PIH in dark-skinned patients.