Early fractional carbon dioxide laser intervention for postsurgical scars in skin of color

Background Fractional CO2 laser is one of the most effective treatment options used to resurface scars. Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of early treatment of postsurgical scar by fractional ablative CO2 laser. Methods A total of 27 Egyptian patients with recent postoperative scars were enrolled in this study. Three sessions of fractional CO2 laser with a 1-month interval were started 4 weeks after surgery. Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used as an assessment tool at 1 and 3 months after the final treatment. Patients reported their satisfaction using a subjective 4-point scale. Results Results demonstrated a statistically significant overall average improvement of the VSS (5.33±1.33) before compared with (2.55±1.06) 3 months after the last laser treatment (P≤0.001). Among the individual parameters in the VSS, the most significant improvements were found in pigmentation, height, and pliability. Patient’s subjective satisfaction scores showed a significant greater degree of satisfaction after laser treatment. Conclusion Fractional ablative CO2 laser is an effective and safe treatment modality for surgical scars in the early postsurgical period.

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