Which type of atrophic acne scar (ice-pick, boxcar, or rolling) responds to nonablative fractional laser therapy?

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Few studies have examined the role of fractional lasers in individual acne scars (ice-pick, box car, rolling) using objective assessment tools in darkly pigmented skin.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the effect of 1,540-nm fractional lasers on individual acne scars.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

A prospective interventional study was conducted in 35 patients using a 1,540-nm fractional laser. Six sessions were performed with four passes per session and a dose varying from 70 to 100 mJ to maximize the DWR. A self-devised objective assessment tool with dose settings to optimize the depth-to-width ratio (DWR) and a visual analog scale (VAS) were used to count individual atrophic scars. Final results were assessed 6 months after final laser treatment.

RESULTS:

Acne scar reduction efficiency was used to validate the improvement of individual scars, a meaningful difference was considered as 51% or greater improvement. The boxcar scars (52.9%) responded better than the rolling (43.1%) and ice-pick scars (25.9%), with statistically significant improvement (p < .05) seen in boxcar scars after four sessions. Overall VAS scores revealed significant improvement (p < .001).

CONCLUSION:

Using an objective evaluation tool, an erbium-doped glass laser was found to improve atrophic acne scars, markedly so for boxcar and rolling scars. The VAS score overestimated improvement because of its subjective nature.

• Authors: Kabir Sardana, Mukesh Manjhi, Vijay K Garg, Vivek Sagar
• Journal: Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] (Dermatol Surg) Vol. 40 Issue 3 Pg. 288-300 (Mar 2014) ISSN: 1524-4725 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24447255 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2014 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Topics

• Acne Vulgaris (complications)
• Adult
• Cicatrix (etiology, radiotherapy)
• Face
• Female
• Humans
• Laser Therapy (methods)
• Lasers, Solid-State
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Treatment Outcome