Objective: To compare the efficacies of intense pulse light (IPL) versus diode laser in the removal of unwanted facial hair among female patients. Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun 2019 to Mar 2020. Methodology: A total of 38 female patients with hirsutism diagnosed by a consultant dermatologist were included in this study. Intense pulse light therapy was applied on one half of the face while diode laser was used on the other half of the face for three sessions one month apart. A consultant dermatologist assessed the reduction in hair count on both sides of the face after the last session. Any adverse effects experienced by the patients were also recorded. Results: Out of 38 patients with 76 responses (both sides of the face) were included in the study. 14(17.9%) patients had less than 25% hair reduction, 24(30.7%) had 25-50% reduction, 27(34.6%) had 50-75% and 11(14.1%) had more than 75% reduction of the unwanted hair. Transient erythema 9(11.5%) and moderate pain 9(11.5%) were the common side effects experienced by the patients overall on both sides. Results of the chi-square test revealed that hair reduction, adverse effects and patient satisfaction were not statistically significant in both the groups (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: This comparative study revealed that intense pulse light and diode laser treatment have been equally efficacious and tolerable in managing unwanted hair among females suffering from hirsutism.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of carbon dioxide fractional laser with micro needling in acne scarring. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jun 2019 to Mar 2020. Methodology: Overall 40 patients with acne scars assessed by consultant dermatologist were made part of study. The patients were divided into two treatment groups through lottery method. Group A, was managed by micro needling technique, while Group B was managed by carbon dioxide fractional laser, each to be done monthly for a total of three sessions. The response was measured by the dermatologist and patients in both the groups. The side effects were also compared in both the groups. Results: Out of 40 patients with acne scars included in study, 17 (42.5%) underwent micro-needling while 23 (57.5%) underwent carbon dioxide fractional laser treatment after randomization. Thirty (75%) patients were female while 10 (25%) were male. The patients with acne scars responded better in carbon dioxide fractional laser group as compared to micro needling in opinion of dermatologists (p-value=0.01) and also patients themselves (p-value=0.03). Side effects were significantly higher in carbon dioxide fractional laser group as compared to micro needling (p-value=0.02). Conclusion: Significant number of patients respond well to carbon dioxide fractional laser treatment and the response included both expert opinion and patients own opinion, but adverse effects were seen more in same group. Therefore, better response but at the cost of more adverse effects was noted.

Objective: To compare the efficacies of Salicylic acid and Glycolic acid peel in patients with active acne. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Setting and Duration of Study: Department of dermatology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, (PEMH) Rawalpindi Pakistan, Dec 2018 to Jan 2020. Methodology: A total of 300 patients with active acne were included in this study. Patients were randomized into groups by lottery method. Group-A was given 30% Salicylic acid, while Group-B was given 70% Glycolic acid to control active acne. A grading system developed by Hayashi et al, was used to assess the response. A score less than six after 12 weeks was considered a positive response. In addition, the type of treatment and other factors were compared in the patients with and without a positive response after the designated treatment. Results: Out of 300 patients with active acne included in the study, 172 (57.3%) had a positive response, while 128 (42.7%) had not achieved a positive response after the twelve-week treatment. Use of 30% Salicylic acid, lesser duration of acne and more minor age of the patients had a statistically significant relationship with a positive response in the study population (p-value 0.010, 0.005 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: A significant number of patients did not respond to standard therapy of acne vulgaris. However, chances of achieving a positive response increase with 30% Salicylic acid instead of 70% Glycolic acid, lesser duration of acnes and young patients have more chances of getting a positive response at the end of the therapy.