Noshi Ilyas, Muhammad Khalil-ur Rehman, Atiya Arshad, Saira Riaz, Nehel Raza, Asma Masood, Shahbaz Aman, Atif Hasnain Kazmi.
The comparative efficacy of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and electrofulguration for the treatment of facial freckles.
J Pak Assoc Derma Jan ;33(3):864-9.

Objective: The objective was to assess the efficacy by comparing the percent decrease in FASI (Freckles area and severity index) score in patients of facial freckles treated with Intense pulsed light (IPL) and electrofulguration.   Methods: This is a comparative interventional study conducted in Dermatology department Mayo Hospital Lahore. Total 240 patients with clinical diagnosis of freckles fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Patients were randomly divided into two equal groups, group A (n=120) and group B (n=120). Group A was treated with IPL and group B was treated with electrofulguration. 1st treatment session was given at baseline and total 6 sessions were given with 4 weeks’ interval for both treatment modalities. Photographs were taken and FASI score was calculated at baseline and at the end of 6th session.   Results: Out of 240 patients enrolled in the study, females (53%) out-numbered the males (47%). The percent decrease in FASI was 15.73% with IPL while with electrofulguration it was 14.29% with p value <0.05, showing comparable efficacy with both treatment modalities. Both IPL and electrofulguration showed highly significant reduction in freckles and FASI scores with minimal side effects like postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, erythema and mild pain. But post treatment side effects were less reported with IPL. Patients showed an excellent compliance with both treatment modalities.   Conclusion: Current study concluded that IPL and electrofulguration are both effective treatment modalities for freckles but post treatment side effects were less reported with IPL. These results have shown that IPL is a safer treatment option than electrofulguration.  

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