title: Improvement of atrophic acne scars with a 1,320 nm Nd:YAG laser: retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Facial acne scarring has been treated with multiple methods with varying degrees of improvement. Although the 1,320 nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser has been widely used to improve photoaging, studies analyzing its effects on atrophic acne scarring are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of a dynamic cryogen-cooled 1,320 nm Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of atrophic facial acne scars in a larger cohort of patients with long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients (skin phototypes I-IV) with facial acne scarring received a mean of 5.5 (range 2-17) treatments with a 1,320 nm Nd:YAG laser. Objective physician assessment scores of improvement were determined by side-by-side comparison of preoperative and postoperative photographs at a range of 1 to 27 months (mean 10.4 months) postoperatively. Subjective patient self-assessment scores of improvement were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acne scarring was significantly improved by both physician and patient assessment scores. Mean improvement was 2.8 (p < .05) on a 0- to 4-point scale by physician assessment and 5.4 (p < .05) on a 0- to 10-point scale by patient assessment. No significant complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonablative laser skin resurfacing with a 1,320 nm Nd:YAG laser can effectively improve the appearance of facial acne scars with minimal adverse sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Laser, Skin and Vein Institute, Hunt Valley, MD 21030, USA.
authors.forename: Supriya G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bellew
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome