title: Occlusive dressing versus oxygen mist therapy following CO2 laser resurfacing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxygen is an essential element for collagen synthesis and reepithelialization. The use of topical oxygen after CO2 laser resurfacing has not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the rate and quality of healing in wounds treated with an oxygen mist to those treated with occlusive dressing following CO2 laser resurfacing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients underwent CO2 laser resurfacing to each half of the face 3 weeks apart. Postoperatively, half of the face was treated with an oxygen mist protocol for 5 days, while the other half was treated with occlusive dressing for 4 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At postoperative day 5, significantly less crusting was observed on the half of the face treated with the oxygen mist protocol (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oxygen mist postoperative protocol may offer patients similar overall healing rates and significantly less crusting compared to occlusive dressing.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onouye
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menaker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D015361:Rhytidoplasty; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen