INTRODUCTION
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by painful inflammatory nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts, and scarring with a significant impact on patient quality of life. HS remains a very difficult dermatologic condition to treat with current management options including topical and oral antibiotics, intravenous antibiotics, lasers, biologic medications, and surgery. Intense pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF) have previously been reported as potential noninvasive treatments for HS.1,2 IPL may help HS by emitting various wavelengths of light that are absorbed by targets in the skin producing anti-inflammatory effects and inducing thermal damage to hair follicles.3 RF is thought to work by decreasing the activity and volume of sebaceous glands and by stimulating the formation of collagen.4
A recent prospective study on 47 subjects in Germany using IPL, RF, or IPL+RF found that the IPL+RF group had a greater drop in active lesion count and a greater decrease in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) when compared to the IPL or RF groups alone.5 The objective of this prospective, split body pilot study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the synergistic effects of IPL+RF in patients with HS in the United States.
A recent prospective study on 47 subjects in Germany using IPL, RF, or IPL+RF found that the IPL+RF group had a greater drop in active lesion count and a greater decrease in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) when compared to the IPL or RF groups alone.5 The objective of this prospective, split body pilot study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the synergistic effects of IPL+RF in patients with HS in the United States.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Henry Ford Hospital (IRB #11922). International Conference of Harmonization and Good Clinical Practice were followed in the conduct of this study. Prior to any study procedures, participants gave written informed consent to include material pertaining to themselves in this study and acknowledged they cannot be identified in study publications. We have fully anonymized all participants in this study. Subjects were included if they had bilateral HS and were on stable medication for the past 3 months. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, breastfeeding, or on any biologic therapy. Subjects were randomized to receive 3 passes of IPL+RF treatment (IPL: 420-1200 nm, 4.4-6.0 J/cm2, 4 sub-impulses: 8 ms/8 ms (duration/pause); RF: 1 MHz, 12.2 J/cm2, 1 second) per session to a single HS area on a randomized side of the body at least 2 weeks apart for a total of 9 to 10 treatments. The contralateral side served as control.
