• Kee Lee Tan, Caroline Kurniawati, and Michael H Gold.
• Rejuvenate Cosmetic & Slimming Clinic, Perth, Australia. kl_tan88@hotmail.com
• J Drugs Dermatol. 2008 Aug 1; 7 (8): 774-7.

Background/ObjectiveHyperpigmentation occurs in more than 37% of dark-skinned subjects treated with a fully ablative CO2 laser device. This study assessed the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in subjects with skin types 4 and 5 treated once with a specific protocol of treatment using a fractional CO2 laser.MethodsSeven subjects with photodamaged skin received a single facial treatment using a fractional CO2 laser. Anesthesia was limited to a lidocaine and prilocaine cream for 1 hour before the single-pass treatment. Subjects were evaluated for improvement and PIH on alternate days for 14 days, and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months posttreatment.ResultsAll subjects achieved improvement in their specific skin conditions and in skin texture. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was not observed in any subject. Four subjects experienced no pain during treatment, while 3 reported mild pain. Recovery was associated with minimal pain and itching.ConclusionIn dark-skinned subjects, fractional CO2 laser treatment and topical anesthesia subjectively improves common skin conditions without PIH.

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