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Radiofrequency effectively treats rosacea when compared with pulsed dye laser

Radiofrequency therapy was as effective as pulsed dye laser in treating rosacea, particularly in patients with papulopustular rosacea, according to published study results.

Researchers studied 30 patients with rosacea (19 women; average age, 43.4 years), including 20 patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) and 10 patients with papulopustular rosacea (PPR). In the randomized study, patients were treated with radiofrequency on one side of the face and pulsed dye laser on the other side, with treatments consisting of three sessions at 4-week intervals, with follow-up at 4 weeks after the final treatments.

Rosacea severity score, erythema index, lesion counts, physician’s subjective evaluation and patient’s satisfaction were used to measure efficacy.

Rosacea severity score had a significant improvement in three sessions of treatments in radiofrequency and pulsed dye laser (P < .01).

Twenty-one patients (70%) receiving radiofrequency treatment achieved greater than 50% clearance, compared with 22 patients (73%) receiving pulsed dye laser treatment.

Separate analysis found that in patients with ETR, no significant difference in efficacy was found between the pulsed dye laser and radiofrequency treatments. In patients with PPR, there was a significant improvement in the severity score and papulopustular lesion count for patients treated with radiofrequency compared with pulsed dye laser.  

“In recent years … ETR and phymatous rosacea were treated successfully by laser therapy, [but] the main treatment for PPR is systemic medications and topical therapies,” the researchers wrote. “However, increasing antibiotic resistance my lower compliance with, and lower efficacy of, systemic antibiotics; moreover, topical agents requently result in irritation due to skin sensitivity in patients with rosacea. Therefore, there is a need for other treatments options that are safe and effective.”

“In this study, [radiofrequency] and [pulsed-dye laser] were similarly effective as indicated by the severity score and erythema,” the researchers concluded. “The mechanism by which [radiofrequency] was effective in the treatment of rosacea is unknown.” – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.