ABSTRACT Background Enlarged facial pores frequently compromise aesthetic appearance; intense pulsed light (IPL) and isotretinoin are thought to be capable of improving enlarged pores. Objective Our aim was to observe the efficacy and safety of IPL combined with oral isotretinoin compared with IPL alone in the treatment of enlarged facial pores. Methods After obtaining ethical approval, the patients with enlarged facial pores who visited the dermatology clinic from July 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively collected. A total of 65 patients were included, including 33 patients in the combined treatment group (IPL combined with oral isotretinoin) and 32 patients in the single treatment group (IPL). The facial pore standard photo scores, pore improvement efficiency, and VISIA skin detector scores were evaluated before treatment and 1 month after treatment. In addition, adverse reactions and patient satisfaction were also collected. Results After treatment, the pore scores of the two groups decreased compared with the baseline, and the score of the combined group was lower than that of the IPL group. In addition, the clinical effective rate, VISIA test results, and patient satisfaction of the combined treatment group were better than those of the IPL group. One patient in the combined treatment group had irregular menstruation and recovered after withdrawal. No other serious adverse events were observed in either group. Conclusion IPL combined with oral isotretinoin is more effective in treating enlarged facial pores in the short term, with high patient satisfaction and good safety.
Jiang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.