Moderate rhinophyma successfully treated with a Smoothbeam laser

摘要

Rhinophyma, the end stage of evolving rosacea, is a disfiguring disorder of the nose characterized by an erythematous swollen nose with prominent pilosebac-eous dilated pores and telangiectasia. Rhinophyma occurs much more often in men than in women (with an approximate ratio of 20:1), although rosacea is more common in females (1). Histopathologically, rhinophyma shows prominent sebaceous hyperplasia, dilated infundibula, telangiectasia in the superficial dermis, and perifollicular inflammatory cell infiltration (2). Clinically, marked skin thickening and irregular surface nodularities of the nose cause cosmetic embarrassment and distress for patients. Herein, we describe the successful treatment of moderate rhinophyma with a 1450-nm diode laser as an effective and safe alternative.