Combination Ablative Fractional CO2 Laser, Intense Pulsed Light, and Triamcinolone for the Management of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Case Series

OBJECTIVE: Ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser (CO 2 -AFL) and intense pulsed light (IPL) are noninvasive light-based therapies that have demonstrated efficacy for various dermatological conditions. However, their application in the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) remains relatively unexplored. METHODS: This retrospective case series presents the patient-reported outcomes of 4 patients with HS who were treated with CO 2 -AFL–assisted triamcinolone delivery (n=2) or IPL+CO 2 -AFL–assisted triamcinolone delivery (n=2). RESULTS: Patients treated with CO 2 -AFL alone (n=2) experienced a mean reduction in POSAS of 9±1.4 and DLQI of 6.6±0.7. Patients treated with IPL+CO 2 -AFL (n=2) experienced a mean reduction in POSAS of 30 and DLQI of 9. All patients reported high levels of satisfaction, and no adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: CO 2 -AFL, either alone or in combination with IPL, followed by topical and intralesional triamcinolone, may be an effective treatment modality for HS. Prospective studies with larger cohorts, standardized treatment protocols, and extended follow-up periods are needed to further validate these findings.