There are several reports on improvement of blood flow following LLLT, and reports on actual vessel dilatation and blood flow enhancement has been observed in animal models. However there are no reports on changes in blood flow observed in human subjects using a non-invasive method for any duration of time. In this study, we used non-invasive Doppler color flow imaging to observe changes in the blood flow of the common carotid artery following laser irradiation to the lateral neck region. Laser output- and dose-dependent differences in the blood flow were observed, but there was also an increase in the diameter and cross-sectional area of vessels. Increased blood flow was noted in the common carotid artery of both the irradiated and unirradiated side, which lasted for over 1 hour after laser irradiation. The maximum increase in the crosssectional area, vessel diameter and the blood flow on the irradiated side were 69%, 31% and 63% respectively. On the unirradiated side the maximum increase of the cross-sectional area, vessel diameter and blood flow were 52%, 21% and 71% respectively. There were no changes observed in the maximum, minimum or average blood flow velocity of either the irradiated or unirradiated side.

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Recently in Japan, the trend towards females marrying later in life than before has increased the average age of women bearing children for the first time. The number of children being born in Japan has steadily decreased for the 26^th straight year and has become a grave socio-economical concern for the future. Artificial reproductive technology (ART) has shown advances in the past two decades, however there are no new solutions to the old problem of age. The authors have previously reported the efficacy of low reactive level laser therapy (LLLT) for the adjunctive treatment of refractory female infertility and will report a new method of LLLT, incorporating the Proximal Priority Treatment (PPT) with the use of novel device named the Neck Irradiator. A retrospective survey of patients receiving PPT with the Neck Irradiator showed that approximately 10% of the patients became pregnant with this treatment. The authors compare and contrast this new treatment with previous treatment modalities and will discuss LLLT for the treatment of female infertility.

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Photomodulation is an athermal process that manipulates or regulates cell activity using light energy. Previous studies of a specific sequence or coded pulsed 590 nm LED photomodulation have shown the improvement of wrinkle, roughness, pigmentation, and erythema. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiageing effects of continuous 630 nm red light LED for Japanese subjects, in their 20’s to 50’s. Pre- and post-treatment clinical photographs were taken using the Canfield imaging systems (VISIA II™), which simultaneously counted the characteristic numbers of wrinkles, roughness, hair follicles and pigmentation. The erythema level was also assessed before and after treatment using the Mexameter® (MX18, CK corp.). Two independent observers assessed the photographs and the data. Results showed the improvement of signs of sun-induced aging or environmental damaged skin. No side effects were noted. LED photomodulation is a safe and effective, pain-free and non-ablative modality for improvement of sun-induced aging or environmentally damaged skin in Asians.

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Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disorder in adolescence. Various treatment methods, such as topical/oral antibiotics, topical retinoids, chemical peels and phototherapy, have been reported with various success rates. Recently the resistance to antibiotics necessitates the physician to seek novel treatment modalities. Since 2005, we have applied a 630 nm light emitting diode (LED)-based device for acne in addition to conventional treatments. The conventional treatments, consisting of CO₂ laser irradiation, dye laser irradiation, topical retinoids and topical/oral antibiotics, were performed for infectious lesions, and LED therapy was concomitantly performed once a week. Within 3 months, severe symptoms were improved and well controlled in all cases. The 630 nm LED irradiation seems to be an optional treatment in controlling the various grades of acne vulgaris.

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Systemic sclerosis (SSC) is sometimes associated with the appearance of Raynaud’s disease due to diffuse vasculopathy associated with SSC. Low reactive-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been reported in the past to have beneficial effects in various vasculopathies, including Buerger’s and Raynaud’s diseases. The authors surmised that LLLT might therefore be of some assistance in the treatment of the Raynaud’s component of SSC. A 30-yr old male patient with SSC was treated with a combination of bosentan and LLLT (GaAlAs diode laser, 60 mW, continuous wave, incident power density 3 W/cm²) in 35 treatment sessions over 24 weeks. After the final treatment session, both skin tightness and Raynaud’s phenomenon had improved, whereas no progression was seen in the pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary function did not get any worse. The results suggest that bosentan with complementary LLLT was effective for not only improving the dermal blood circulation but also preventing progression of the overall disease status in this case.

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Korea has a solid history of surgery and phototherapy spanning more than a century, but not a great deal of knowledge regarding medical advances in Korea is known, particularly from the aspect of photosurgery and phototherapy. The first Westernized hospital in Korea was Jejoongwon, established in the 1880’s through the incidental successful treatment of a Korean Royal Family relative by a US missionary doctor. Jejoongwon in turn developed into the Severance Hospital and Medical School at the turn of the 20th Century. Throughout the somewhat dark years of the Japanese occupation, not much advanced in the medical field for Korean doctors, and most had to graduate overseas. However, things changed at the end of the war, and in 1955 the first use of phototherapy in Korea using an infrared lamp was recorded in skin graft healing, and other applications with different light sources were seen in ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology. Plastic surgery then became recognised as a medical speciality in its own right. Plastic surgeons soon saw the potential of phototherapy and some decades later, the principal author (JWK) had the opportunity to participate in the first congress of the International Laser Therapy Association (ILTA) in 1990 in Okinawa, under the presidency of Prof. Toshio Ohshiro. This led him and others to concentrate their efforts to bring all aspects of laser therapy into Korea, in combination with laser surgery and conventional approaches. This has borne fruit in the New Millenium, and now a very large variety of medical specialities use laser surgery and phototherapy in everyday clinical practice, with more indications being added as our experience grows. Phototherapy is surely the Medicine of the New Millennium in Korea.

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IPTA tentative Bylaw has been discussed by General Assembly at the 1^st Congress in 2006. Professor Toshio Ohshiro has suggested each member of IPTA should consider and brainstorm Bylaw until the 2nd Congress.
The final Bylaw should be discussed at Executive Committee Meeting and ratified by General Assembly during the 2nd Congress in April 2008.
We look forward to any opinions of yours.

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