Fractional lasers safe for acne in ethnic skin

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Nonablative fractional (NAF) 1,550 nm and ablative fractional (AF) CO₂ lasers are effective and safe for treating acne scars in ethnic skin, HealthDay News reports.

Researchers at King Saud University investigated the safety and efficacy of NAF 1,550 nm and AF CO₂ lasers in 82 ethnic patients with acne, 45 of whom were treated with NAF 1,550 nm and 37 with AF CO₂ lasers between 2008 and 2009. All patients were given bleaching cream and oral antibiotics after each session. Patients were followed up at weeks one and four of each session and 12 weeks after their final session.

Overall patient satisfaction rate was 71 and 65 percent for the NAF 1,550 nm and AF CO₂ groups, respectively, with more than 50 percent improvement in 35 and 37 percent of patients, respectively. Downtime was less in patients treated with NAF 1,550 nm. Transient postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was found in 17 and 14 percent of the patients in the NAF 1,550 nm and AF CO₂ groups, respectively.

“Both NAF 1,550 nm and AF CO₂ lasers are effective and safe for treatment of acne scars in individuals with dark skin complexion,” the authors concluded.

The study was published in the September issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

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