ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FOTOFACIAL^TM PROCEDURE

Report of a New Treatment for Flushing, Facial Erythema and Rosacea Using Pulsed Light:  A Clinical Evaluation of the FotoFacial Technique in Thirty Patients
                                                            by Patrick Bitter Jr., M.D.

Rosacea with its concomitant flushing and facial erythema is an increasingly common and extremely distressing skin condition affecting tens of millions of Americans. To date there have been limited satisfactory treatments for flushing and facial redness. This is the first clinical evaluation reporting on a new application of Intense Pulsed Light using a unique treatment approach to successfully treat facial erythema and flushing associated with rosacea.

In this new technique called FotoFacial^TM Treatment, a series of full-face pulsed light treatments are performed at three week intervals using specific light parameters and fluences of 30 to 36 joules/cm2. The light source for all treatments was the PhotoDerm VL/PL tm (ESC Medical). A series of five treatments are performed at three week intervals using either no anesthesia or a topical anesthetic cream prior to treatments (ElaMax Cream- Ferndale Laboratories). Treatment duration is approximately twenty minutes. With the specific light parameters selected there is virtually no patient downtime and patients are able to return immediately to their usual activities. After care treatment is customized to the patient's individual skin sensitivity and degree of inflammatory rosacea.

In this study of thirty patients (22 females and 8 males ages 28 to 72 years) average overall improvement as judged by patients was 75% or greater. Average improvements in each of the following areas as reported by patients in the study: ERYTHEMA (redness) 75% or greater (58% of patients); FLUSHING : 75% or better (53% of patients); ROSACEA: 75% or better (56% of patients); FINE WRINKLES: 25% or better (73% of patients); BROKEN CAPILLARIES: 75% or better (49% of patients); PORE SIZE: 50% or better(79% of patients); SKIN SMOOTHNESS: 50% or better(76% of patients).

In addition 92% of patients experienced overall improvement in the inflammatory lesions of rosacea. Most patients have been able to reduce or discontinue their treatments for rosacea. Treatments are well tolerated. There is a very high degree of patient satisfaction because of the ease of treatments and absence of downtime. Overall the incidence of patient downtime of one to three days due to purpura or swelling has been less than two percent. No scarring has been observed. In follow-up data the beneficial effects have continued for up to twelve months following the last treatment. 

This is the first report of the highly beneficial effect of sequential, full-face pulsed light treatments in facial flushing and erythema associated with rosacea.

"I was diagnosed with rosacea and took an antibiotic everyday for five years with no improvement in my condition. After five FotoFacial^TM treatments for the first time in twenty years I no longer have the daily flushing and redness and my skin is so much smoother!"
                                                                                        R.S., age 57