Lasers in surgery and medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Early postoperative single treatment ablative fractional lasing of Mohs micrographic surgery facial scars: a split-scar, evaluator-blinded study.
Despite precise surgical technique, some postoperative facial scars will depress and widen over time, likely due to weakened or inadequately replaced collagen fibers in the underlying dermis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a 10,600 nm ablative carbon dioxide (CO2 ) fractional laser used early in the post-surgical setting results in improved postoperative facial scars after a single treatment session. ⋯ Facial wounds sutured in a layered manner heal well. Patients prefer early fractional CO2 lasing of surgical scars, though use of the VSS failed to detect an objective difference between laser and control halves of scars. Conservative laser settings, a single session treatment, and VSS insensitivity for surgical scars may influence these findings.