Photobiomodulation Therapy in Facial Aesthetic Surgery

INTRODUCTIONAdvances in facial plastic surgery have increased interest in therapies that expedite recovery and enhance comfort. PBMT, including low-level laser/light and LED modalities, has been proposed to reduce pain, edema, and ecchymosis and support wound healing after facial procedures. However, clinical adoption is limited by heterogeneous dosing parameters, inconsistent nomenclature, and nonstandardized outcome measures. This study synthesizes clinical evidence on the efficacy, time course, safety, and treatment parameters of PBMT to guide standardization and trial design.

METHODSWe conducted a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science for English-language studies using PBMT after blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, or facelift with measurable outcomes and parameters. In vitro/cadaver/animal studies, ablative-laser primary interventions, and non-original studies were excluded.

RESULTSThe search retrieved 940 articles; after removing 83 duplicates, 857 records were screened and six studies met inclusion criteria. A total of 298 patients were reported, of whom 155 received PBMT; 83 underwent blepharoplasty, 71 nasal surgery, and 1 facelift. PBMT was associated with reduced ecchymosis at POD7, accelerated POR on EBEC composites, POD7 wound-healing grades, and lower pain/swelling on VAS in periocular and septoplasty cohorts; between-group rhinoplasty PI was neutral despite within-group improvement over time. Reporting of parameters and outcome scales was heterogeneous; adverse events were rare.

CONCLUSIONPBMT appears to reduce pain, edema, ecchymosis, and improve wound healing after facial surgery; however, current evidence is sparse and requires validation in larger cohorts. Standardized protocols and adequately powered blinded trials are needed to confirm efficacy.

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