Penetration Profiles of a Class IV Therapeutic Laser and a Photobiomodulation Therapy Device in Equine Skin.

This study explores how much two different types of light therapy devices penetrate the skin of horses, and whether these penetration levels are affected by the color of the horse’s skin. The results revealed that a device known as a Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has greater penetration in both light and dark skin compared to a class IV laser, suggesting it might offer better therapeutic effects.

Methodology

• Twelve adult, clinically healthy Arab and Quarter horses were selected for the study. Half had light skin and half had dark skin.
• The researchers made measures of the thickness of the horses’ skin folds with a device called a cutometer. They also used ultrasound to confirm these measurements.
• All measurements were taken at two different sites: the cervical area and the metacarpus area.
• A PBMT device and a Class IV laser device were used to penetrate the skin of the horses. The depth of penetration was recorded, as well as the output power of the lasers. The measurements were taken for a duration of 120 seconds after the light had penetrated the skin.

Findings

• The researchers found no difference in skin fold thickness measurements regardless of whether they were taken from the cervical or the metacarpus area. This suggests that these devices can penetrate the same depth regardless of where they are applied.
• In both types of skin (light and dark), the penetration was greater with the PBMT device compared to the class IV laser device.
• The researchers also found that the color of the horse’s skin affected the penetration profiles of PBMT. However, the study does not provide specific details about how exactly the skin color influenced the penetration levels.

Implications

• The results suggest that the PBMT device might be more effective for light therapy in horses as it appears to provide a greater energy penetration than the class IV laser.
• Further research is recommended to better understand how the horse’s skin color affects the penetration levels, especially in darker skin which could influence treatment outcomes.