Rhinophyma treatment: An observational study comparing the results of the cold blade technique and ablative fractional CO2-laser

Experts have widely discussed rhinophyma treatment, proposing and testing various therapies over the years. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the aesthetic outcomes of patients undergoing the cold blade technique at the Department of Plastic Surgery and ablative fractional carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser treatment at the Department of Dermatology at Zealand University Hospital. We assessed rhinophyma severity using the RHISI scale with pre-and post-operative photographs evaluated by senior consultants from each department, who were blinded to the treatment method. Additionally, the patients completed a questionnaire to gauge their satisfaction and willingness to recommend the procedure. Cosmetic outcomes were deemed excellent or good (75% for surgery and 71% for CO₂-laser) in both treatment methods. Only one patient answered with moderate satisfaction. Therefore, we recommend both methods as possible treatment options.