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CHICAGO — Initial data presented here by Mark S. Nestor, MD, PhD, showed a decrease in the number of active acne lesions on the back 3 months after a single nano-pulse stimulation treatment.
“This is incredibly exciting technology; this study shows impressive results of back acne relative to baseline. It’s rapid; it seems to be persistent,” Nestor, who is director at the Center for Clinical and Cosmetic Research, Aventura, Florida, said at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting.
Nestor was encouraged by data from a previous study that validated the effect of Nano-Pulse Stimulation (NPS) Technology (Pulse Biosciences) on sebaceous glands, with a reported 99.5% lesion clearance efficacy rate for the treatment of sebaceous hyperplasia, according to the abstract.
Adults subjects with moderate to severe acne at baseline had three areas of 7 cm2 on the back with comparable acne lesion counts. One lesion area was treated with a single treatment of NPS, and the other two areas served as a sham and control. Subjects were evaluated 30, 60 and 90 days after treatment.
Two adult men, aged 23 years and 34 years with Fitzpatrick skin type classifications of III and IV, have completed treatment.
The number of active acne lesions decreased 89% from baseline to 3 months post-NPS treatment. At a higher setting, one patient experienced complete clearance, according to Nestor. Both patients experienced post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that resolved over time. No instances of hypopigmentation were observed.
“The question is, and we’re exploring this now: Will a lower energy setting continue to show efficacy, which it seems to do with a much lower incidence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation,” Nestor said.
“The next step in our study is to optimize energy levels, reproduce larger areas and numbers of patients, but also have technology to treat large surface areas of the skin, and I think this is incredibly exciting not just for the aspects of acne, but you can bring this forward to many aspects we see in the skin. There’s a whole word, both cosmetic and clinical, including skin cancer that’s going to be looked at continually as we go forward,” he said. – by Abigail Sutton
Reference: Nestor MS, et al. A feasibility study for the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris of the back using nano-pulse stimulation energy. Presented at: American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting; Oct. 24-27, 2019; Chicago.
Disclosures: Nestor reports he is a consultant for and has received investigator-grant/research support and honoraria from Pulse Biosciences.