Ablative Fractional CO2 Laser with or without Low Dose Isotretinoin in Treatment of Acne Scars: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Acne scarring is one of the most common sequelae of acne vulgaris. The severity of acne scars correlates with acne duration, severity and delay in treatment of acne as well as positive family history. Patients who have acne scars frequently seek treatment options to improve appearance and quality of life. Aim of the Study The aim of this study was to assess the safety of combining low-dose isotretinoin with ablative fractional CO2 laser in patients with acne scars. Patients and Methods This study included 40 patients with different types of acne scars. There were 27 females and 13 males. The patients have divided into two groups; Group A received low-dose isotretinoin with full face AF Co2 laser session, while Group B was treated with full face AF Co2 laser session. The age of patients ranged from 18 to 45 years old, with the mean age was 27.2± 6.9 yrs in group A and was 27.5± 6.06 yrs in group B. Results Duration of wound healing, PIH and pain were parallel in both groups with no significant difference between them. No other complications were reported as keloid formation, secondary infection, edema, milia or acneform eruption in study groups. Satisfactory results were reported in most of the patients. Conclusion Our study concluded that using low-dose isotretinoin with AF Co2 laser session safe procedure with normal wound healing and no keloid or hypertrophic scars formation.