TITLE:
Semi-Quantitative Histological Analysis of the Effect of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Intradermic Injection on Fibroblast and Collagen Proliferation in the Skin of Wistar Rats
AUTHORS:
Tamara Lemos Maia-Figueiró, Alexandre Nakao Odashiro, Giovanna Padoa de Menezes, Lilian Rezende Coelho, Ili Breda, Bruno Areco de Souza, Ernesto Antonio Figueiró-Filho
KEYWORDS:
Collagen; Cosmetic Dermatology; Rejuvenation; Pulsed Light; Intense Pulsed Light; Intradermal Injection
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications,
Vol.2 No.3,
September
17,
2012
ABSTRACT: Background: In recent years, so-called “non-ablative rejuvenation” has been carried out with the use of lasers or intense pulsed light (IPL) to stimulate collagen production by dermal fibroblasts. Intradermal infusion of CO2 stimulates fibroblasts and the synthesis of collagen and elastin, contributing to the retraction of the skin and tissue rejuvenation. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of IPL and the intradermal infusion of CO2 on fibroblast proliferation and collagen in the skin of female rats. Methods: Sixteen adult female Wistar rats were divided into two groups of eight animals. Group 1 underwent IPL and group 2 underwent intradermal CO2 infusion. There was a total of 8 weeks of treatment. We conducted a punch in each animal before any procedure (T0), another punch in the middle of treatment at 4 weeks post-procedure (T1) and a punch at the end of treatment at 8 weeks post-procedure (T2). The cells involved in inflammation, fibrosis and vascularization of the injured tissue by histopathology were analyzed. Results: There was statistically significant fibroblast proliferation and collagen proliferation noted when analyzing all 16 animals together and also when considering the two study groups separately. In both groups, the greatest proliferation of fibroblasts coincided with periods of increased collagen production. Conclusion: Both IPL and intradermal CO2 infusion stimulated fibroblast and collagen proliferation in the skin of the rats studied.