Abstract
Background: Novel picosecond lasers using a diffractive optical element (P-DOE) have been available for skin resurfacing with distinct mechanisms. However, there are limited data directly comparing P-DOE and conventional fractional lasers for the treatment of atrophic acne scarring. Objectives: We sought to compare the efficacy and safety of a 1064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet P-DOE and a non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) in the treatment of acne scarring. Methods: A prospective, randomized, split-face, controlled trial was performed. One randomly assigned half-side of each patient’s face (n = 25) was treated with four consecutive sessions of P-DOE at 3-week intervals and the other side with NAFL, with subsequent follow-up for 8 weeks after the final sessions. The efficacy and safety of the two lasers were determined by the Echelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'acné (Scale of Clinical Evaluation of Acne Scars; ECCA) grading scale, Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) score and patients’ reports at the final visit. Histologic analysis was also performed. Results: The P-DOE-treated side achieved a significantly better improvement in acne appearance (ECCA per cent reduction: 55% vs. 42%) with less severe pain (4.3 vs. 5.6) (P < 0.05). The IGA score and subjective satisfaction were consistent with ECCA score results. Occurrences of treatment-related side-effects were also lower in the group treated with P-DOE (P < 0.05). Histologic analysis revealed elongation and increased density of neocollagen fibres, elastic fibres and mucin throughout the dermis from both sides. Conclusions: Compared with NAFL, P-DOE afforded better clinical outcomes and fewer side-effects in the treatment of acne scarring in Asian patients.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2907-2913 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2020 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases