Fractional CO Laser-Assisted Delivery of Botulinum Toxin-A Versus Aluminum Chloride in Treatment of Primary Palmar Hyperhidrosis.

[BACKGROUND] Primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH) constitutes a distressing dermatologic condition that greatly affects patients' quality of life. Its management still needs to be addressed to find a suitable therapeutic modality that is readily available, cost effective, and gives patients a quite long disease-free period.

[OBJECTIVE] To assess the efficacy of fractional CO laser as a delivery method for botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) and aluminum chloride in treating PPH.

[PATIENTS AND METHODS] Twenty-four subjects with PPH were treated on both hands with fractional CO laser followed on the right hand with topical BTX-A and on the left hand with topical aluminum chloride. Minor's starch-iodine test and Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) were used for evaluation of treatment response and for follow-up.

[RESULTS] There was a significant improvement in HDSS in both groups, but there was no statistically significant difference in the therapeutic response for both modalities. There was a statistically significant longer disease-free period in the BTX-A-treated hands.

[CONCLUSION] Fractional CO laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) represents a safe, minimally invasive procedure that enhances the delivery of BTX-A and aluminum chloride, the two most widely used agents for treating PPH, with a comparable anhidrotic response.