Occlusive dressing versus oxygen mist therapy following CO2 laser resurfacing.
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.
Onouye
T
T
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
Menaker
G
G
Christian
M
M
Moy
R
R
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
D010100:Oxygen