OBJECTIVES:

In this study, we investigated the effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with 30% supramolecular salicylic acid on facial seborrheic dermatitis.

METHODS:

A total of 45 patients with mild or moderate facial seborrheic dermatitis were selected from our hospital between September 2018 and September 2019. The patients were divided into three groups consisting of 15 patients each. The first group was exposed to a combination of IPL and 30% supramolecular salicylic acid treatment, the second group was exposed to the IPL treatment alone, and the third group was exposed to the 30% supramolecular salicylic acid treatment alone. They were treated once every 4 weeks in three consecutive rounds.

RESULTS:

Facial lesions and symptoms were observed 4 and 12 weeks after the first treatment, and adverse reactions were recorded. The combination group showed significant improvement in symptoms 4 weeks after the first treatment, while the individual treatment groups showed no significant improvement. After three rounds of treatments, seborrheic dermatitis had significantly decreased in the three groups; the efficacy of the combined treatment group was significantly higher than that of the IPL group and the 30% supramolecular salicylic acid group.

CONCLUSION:

IPL combined with 30% supramolecular salicylic acid was effective in the treatment of facial seborrheic dermatitis and provided a quicker result with no adverse reactions.