Shahid Javaid Akhtar
Punjab Medical College
Pakistan
Title: High intensity targeted fractional CO2 laser therapy for acne scars
Biography
Biography: Shahid Javaid Akhtar
Abstract
Fractional photothermolysis has changed the whole scenario of skin resurfacing and fractional CO2 laser are now extensively used in racially pigmented skin. We tried novel concept of using high intensity fractional CO2 laser ablation specifically targeted to the individual acne scars in Pakistani patients. 13 patients with mixed types of acne scars underwent three fractional CO2 phothermolysis with Fraxis Laser after 6-8 weeks. After topical anesthesia, high intensity fractional CO2 laser therapy (125-175 mJ/cm2, 20-30% coverage, 3-5 passes) was precisely targeted to the individual acne scars to get clinical end point of about 90% scar effacement. Objective mean improvement of 65% (range 40 to 80%) was seen in 9 patients who were available for final evaluation 6 months after the last session. Serosanguineous exudation, crusting and erythema followed by transient pigmentation were the most common but predictable side effects noted. It was concluded that high energy fractional CO2 laser ablation of individual acne scars leads to significant improvement even in ice pick and box scars but at the cost of transient dyschromia.