Comparison of trichloroacetic acid solution and cryosurgery in the treatment of solar lentigines

Abstract

Cryosurgery was found to be superior to TCA 30% solution in the treatment of solar lentigines. This study demonstrates that old-fashioned treatments for solar lentigines are still excellent and cost-effective therapeutic choices.

Treatment of solar lentigines

“…The principles underlying this treatment are that glycolic acid decreases the incidence of postinflammatory pigment changes, whereas TCA is able to penetrate deeply but uniformly into the skin. 24 The efficacy of chemical peels has been compared with that of cryotherapy 25 and laser therapy. 14 The first comparative study involved treating each hand of 25 patients with multiple solar lentigines at random with either 30% TCA or liquid nitrogen spray as a single treatment.…”

“…14 The first comparative study involved treating each hand of 25 patients with multiple solar lentigines at random with either 30% TCA or liquid nitrogen spray as a single treatment. 25 Patients were evaluated at 8 weeks using photography. At this time, 9 patients (47%) in the TCA group achieved more than 50% improvement compared with 15 patients (71%) in the cryotherapy group; the difference was significant (P \.05).…”

Cryopeeling versus trichloroacetic acid peeling in the treatment of solar lentigines: Effect on epidermal Langerhans cells

“…Similar findings were reported by Golforoushan et al () showing that cryotherapy was more effective in the opinion of 56.7% of patients. Other studies also demonstrated that cryotherapy was considered better by 62–68% of the patients (Goldust et al, ; Lugo‐Janer et al, ; Raziee et al, ).…”

A randomized controlled study to evaluate the depigmenting activity of l-ascorbic acid plus phytic acid - serum vs. placebo on solar lentigines

“…Chemical peels with 30–35% trichloroacetic acid solution or brief (i.e., <10 s) cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen have resulted in significant lightening of SL, but data are limited on long‐term improvements, and recurrences are common. Additionally, cryotherapy can be painful, and prolonged treatment is associated with hypopigmentation 9–11 . Laser therapy for SL has shown benefit in at least one small, randomized controlled trial, with effectiveness superior to liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, but postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is a known complication 11–13 …”