Laser treatment Improves Scar appearance in wound healing

A new study published in The British Journal of Dermatology reports that Nonablative fractional laser (NAFL)-treated scars showed subtle improvement compared with untreated control scars.

Karmisholt KE and associates conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess scar formation clinically after three nonablative fractional lasers (NAFL) exposures, targeting the inflammation, proliferation and remodeling wound healing phases in patients vs. untreated controls.

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The researchers performed the study on 32 patients using a split-wound design to assess excisional wound halves treated with 1540-nm NAFL vs. no laser treatment. Three NAFL exposures were provided: immediately before surgery, at suture removal and 6 weeks after surgery. NAFL exposures were applied using two handpieces, sequentially distributing energy deeply and more superficially in the skin (40-50 mJ per microbeam).

The primary outcome was blinded, on-site evaluation using the Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS total; range from 6, normal skin to 60, worst imaginable scar). evaluated at 3 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes comprised blinded evaluation on the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and standardized assessment comparing scar sides, carried out by blinded on-site, photo and patient assessments.

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The key study findings included:

• At the 3-month follow-up, the NAFL-treated scar halves showed improvement compared with the untreated control halves on POSAS total


• The POSAS subitems showed that the NAFL-treated halves were significantly less red and more pliable, and presented with smoother relief than the untreated controls.


• VSS total correspondingly revealed enhanced appearance in the NAFL-treated halves


• The standardized assessment comparing the appearance of scar halves demonstrated a low degree of correspondence between on-site, photo and patient assessments. NAFL-treated scars were rated as superior to untreated scars by 21 of 29 patients.

A non-ablative laser generates beams of coherent light using a very narrow range of wavelengths. The light beams selectively target and heat the water chromophore in the skin. As a result, the temperature of the tissue rises which stimulates neo-collagenesis.

For reference log on to https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.17076