<p>OBJECTIVE: Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation results in aesthetically unpleasant discoloration of the skin in the affected area. The efficacy of low-fluence Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser has so far not been evaluated for the treatment of the axilla. This observational study was designed to evaluate whether the application of the laser treatment can satisfactorily reduce axillary hyperpigmentation.
Material and methods: 17 females (mean age, 34.27 ± 9.24; range, 19-48) were treated in a single center between 2014 and 2016 for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation of the axillary area. One treatment session was done every 2 weeks. Pairwise pre- / post-treatment assessment was graded by the practitioner, the patient, and an independent non-medical observer for consistency using a standardized grading scale.
Results: Post-treatment evaluation revealed an improvement score of 4 ± 0.44; range, 4-5 (good improvement) with a variance of 0.19 after the treatment. The scoring of the practitioner rs= 0.31 correlated higher with the patient-related outcome than with the scoring of the independent non-medical observer rs= 0.17. The minimum number of sessions needed for an excellent patient-evaluated improvement was 3, but an increased number of sessions was not significantly correlated with the outcome. The results of the treatment lasted for at least 6 months after the last session.
Conclusion: A low-fluence Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser provided safe and effective treatment for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in the axillary area, with good-to-excellent improvement after a minimum of 3 sessions.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(11):1118-1123.</em></p>.