Quantitative assessment of the long‐term efficacy and safety of a 1064‐nm picosecond laser with fractionated microlens array in the treatment of enlarged pores in Asians: A case‐control study

BACKGROUND: Enlarged facial pores are one of the common skin signs of photoaging that patients seek treatment for. However, objective data and long‐term assessment on the efficacy and safety of therapeutic procedures for this condition are limited. OBJECTIVE: To objectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 1064‐nm picosecond laser with microlens array (MLA) for pore tightening. METHODS: Twenty‐five patients with enlarged pores received three treatments with a 1064‐nm picosecond laser coupled with MLA at 4‐week intervals. Patients were evaluated using objective (measurement of pore volume using three‐dimensional photography) and subjective (clinical evaluation by two blinded dermatologists) assessments at baseline and at the 1‐, 3‐, and 6‐month follow‐ups. Adverse effects were also recorded during each visit. RESULTS: After three treatments, there was a significant reduction of pore size from baseline (p < 0.001). The improvement in pore size appearance significantly continued from the 1‐month to the 6‐month follow‐up visits (p = 0.013). The total average pore size was 1.15652 ± 0.614322 and 0.8087 ± 0.50515 at baseline and at 6 months after the final treatment, respectively, resulting in an average of 30% reduction in pore size. No cases of dyspigmentation, textural alteration, or scarring were documented. CONCLUSION: Fractional 1064‐nm picosecond laser appears to be effective and safe for reducing pore size in Asians with minimal transient side effects.