Efficacy of pulsed dye laser versus intense pulsed light in the treatment of striae distensae.

BACKGROUND: Pulsed dye laser (PDL) and intense pulsed light (IPL) have been used to treat striae distensae.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference between the treatment efficacy of PDL and IPL on striae distensae.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with age ranging from 15 to 42 years were included in this study. All patients were treated on one side of their bodies with PDL and on the other side with IPL for 5 sessions with a 4-week interval between the sessions. Skin biopsies were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, orcein, Alcian blue, and anticollagen I α1.

RESULTS: After both PDL and IPL, striae width was decreased and skin texture was improved in a highly significant manner. Collagen expression was increased in a highly significant manner after PDL and IPL. However, PDL induced the expression of collagen I in a highly significant manner compared with IPL, where p values were <.001 and .193, respectively. Striae rubra gave a superior response with either PDL or IPL compared with striae alba, which was evaluated clinically by the width, color, and texture, although the histological changes could not verify this consequence.

CONCLUSION: Both PDL and IPL can enhance the clinical picture of striae through collagen stimulation.