Treatment of upper lip wrinkles: a comparison of the 950 microsec dwell time carbon dioxide laser to manual tumescent dermabrasion.
BACKGROUND
High-energy pulsed or computer-scanned continuous-wave carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing has gained popularity as a wrinkle treatment because of its minimal thermal injury and precise control of tissue vaporization depth. Manual tumescent dermabrasion has also been effective for treating facial wrinkles. This is, to our knowledge, the first study comparing the use of CO2 laser to manual tumescent dermabrasion for the treatment of wrinkles on the upper lip.


OBJECTIVE
To compare prospectively the clinical efficacy of the 950 microsec dwell time CO2 laser to that of manual tumescent dermabrasion in the treatment of upper lip wrinkles.


METHODS
Twenty female subjects with moderate to severe upper lip wrinkles were randomly treated with the 950 microsec dwell time CO2 laser on one side of the upper lip and manual tumescent dermabrasion on the other.


RESULTS
The average upper lip laser-treated wrinkle score (0 = none to 5 = severe) decreased from 4.3 +/- 0.2 before treatment to 1.8 +/- 0.3 at 6 months after treatment. The average upper lip dermabrasion-treated wrinkle score decreased from 4.4 +/- 0.2 to 1.5 +/- 0.3. The degree to which the wrinkle score improved after laser treatment compared with that after dermabrasion was not statistically significant (P =.216).


CONCLUSIONS
Manual tumescent dermabrasion and 950 microsec dwell time CO2 laser resurfacing are equally effective for the treatment of upper lip wrinkles.
Gin
I
I
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Chew
J
J
Rau
K A
KA
Amos
D B
DB
Bridenstine
J B
JB
D000368:Aged; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003869:Dermabrasion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008046:Lip; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015595:Skin Aging
D002245:Carbon Dioxide