Fractional photothermolysis treatment of digital cutis laxa reverses hand disability

Abstract

In this case study, we present a safe and novel treatment for a patient with soft tissue hand disability caused by severe and chronic lupus and cutis laxa (CL). This patient was a woman in her 50s with a 20-year history of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and multiple sclerosis who developed hand disability because of the drastic loss of firmness in her soft tissue, extending from the dermis down to the ligaments. The likely cause was CL with SLE synovitis, exacerbated by corticosteroid tapering. Fractional photothermolysis (FP) LASER (Fraxel DUAL 1550/1927; Solta Medical) therapy profoundly alleviated her joint locking in addition to improving the firmness of the overlying skin to reverse her hand disability. This case illustrates a novel approach to CL hand treatment and the profound impact the treatment had on the patient's disabled hand. FP therapy is quick and safe, and its medical application to skin and joints should be further explored.

Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment for Textural Improvement and Symptomatic Relief of Acquired Cutis Laxa of the Neck

“…In addition to cosmetic improvement in this case, the patient experienced decreased lesional pruritus, which has been previously reported in cases of burn scars treated with AFXL, and may be an under‐utilized indication for this device, although the exact mechanism is not clear [2]. A prior report of use of a non‐ablative 1550‐nm erbium fiber laser showed improvement of digital cutis laxa secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus after four treatments [4]. However, non‐ablative fractional lasers often require more treatments than AFXL [2].…”