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Intense Pulsed Light Plus Metronidazole Cream Improves Rosacea Substantially: Presented at AAD

By Maggie Schwarz

NEW YORK, NY -- August 4, 2004 -- Intense pulsed light with maintenance therapy using metronidazole cream improved vascular lesions significantly, according to an observational study involving a small series of patients with rosacea.

Mark Steven Nestor, MD, PhD, clinical associate professor, department of dermatology and cutaneous surgery, University of Miami, in Miami, Florida, noted that the recent availability of intense pulsed light source (IPL) photorejuvenation has provided an excellent means of treating vascular lesions with less recovery time, pain, risk, and expense to patients than other treatments. Use of this modality in combination with topical metronidazole to maintain improvement has shown favorable results.

Dr. Nestor reviewed 4 patients with rosacea who were treated with this modality and presented the results at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Summer Scientific Meeting held here July 28^th to August 1^st.

Four patients aged 39 to 55 years were treated with IPL plus maintenance metronidazole cream. The erythema, flushing, breakouts, and telangiectasia associated with rosacea were reduced significantly when patients were evaluated after 6 months to 1 year.

Surgical treatment plays an important part in rosacea therapy, as the only treatment available for the eradication of phymatous changes. Where topical and systemic therapies may have limited efficacy in the management of erythema and telangiectasia, vascular lasers and IPL usually produce rapid and long-lasting improvement in these stigmata. Papules and pustules are frequently reduced as are telangiectasia.

Dr. Nestor concluded that vascular lasers and IPL are particularly useful in treating patients who are refractory to systemic and topical treatment and in those who wish for rapid, visible improvement. IPL may also offer extended remission. These preliminary findings suggest that initial eradication of erythema and telangiectases with IPL may increase the effectiveness of topical metronidazole in maintaining remission, he noted.


[Presentation title: Results of Metronidazole in Combination With Phototherapy for Medical and Cosmetic Conditions in Dermatology.]

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