Prospective Study of Intense Pulsed Light With Postoperative Radiotherapy for Keloids in Young and Middle-Aged Men

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of using a combination of intense pulsed light (IPL) with a 500–600 nm wavelength filter and postoperative radiotherapy to treat chest scars in young and middle-aged men. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted with 52 male patients. Those receiving postoperative radiotherapy combined with IPL were assigned to the observation group, while those receiving only postoperative radiotherapy were assigned to the control group. Follow-ups were conducted from 0 to 24 months to assess efficacy using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). Results: No significant differences in VSS or POSAS scores were observed prior to treatment (p > 0.05). Following treatment, however, the observation group demonstrated significantly superior outcomes (p < 0.001), exhibiting lower scores in terms of color, vascular distribution, softness and total VSS (p < 0.05), though thickness scores remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Pain and itchiness scores were also significantly lower in the observation group. Conclusion: Combining postoperative radiotherapy with IPL is more effective than radiotherapy alone at improving chest scars, and significantly alleviates pain and itching symptoms in young and middle-aged men.