Non-ablative 1550-nm erbium-glass and ablative 10 600-nm carbon dioxide fractional lasers for acne scars: A randomized split-face study with blinded response evaluation

Background Non-ablative 1550-nm erbium-doped fractional photothermolysis systems (FPS) and 10 600-nm carbon dioxide fractional laser systems (CO ₂ FS) have been effectively used to treat scars. Objective We compared the efficacy and safety of single-session treatments of FPS and CO ₂ FS for acne scars through a randomized, split-face, evaluator-blinded study. Methods Eight patients with acne scars were enrolled in this study. Half of each subject's face was treated with FPS and the other half was treated with CO₂ FS. We used a quartile grading scale for evaluations. Results At 3 months after the treatment, the mean grade of improvement based on clinical assessment was 2.0 ± 0.5 for FPS and 2.5 ± 0.8 for CO₂ FS. On each side treated by FPS and CO ₂ FS, the mean duration of post-therapy crusting and scaling was 2.3 and 7.4 days respectively and that of post-therapy erythema was 7.5 and 11.5 days respectively. The mean VAS pain score was 3.9 ± 2.0 with the FPS and 7.0 ± 2.0 with the CO₂ FS. Conclusion We demonstrated the efficacy and safety of single-session acne scar treatment using FPS and CO ₂ FS in East Asian patients. We believe that our study could be used as an essential reference when choosing laser modalities for scar treatment.