title: Effectiveness of CO2laser with subcision in patients with acne scars.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-acne facial scarring has always been a challenge to treat. It requires multiple therapeutic modalities as single modality is not hundred percent effective. Therefore, we have combined CO2laser resurfacing with subcision in patients with acne scars for better results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim is to study the effectiveness and side effects of CO2laser with subcision in patients with atrophic acne scars.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients were selected for the study. Baseline grading was done with Goodman and Baron grading system. Twenty-five patients were randomly selected for subcision followed by CO2laser and the remaining patients were selected for CO2laser alone. The treatment was done for four sessions at 4-week interval. Clinical photographs were obtained for evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CO2laser with subcision showed excellent response in grade-2 and -3 acne scars. Statistically there is a significant difference between CO2laser following subcision and CO2laser alone at 5% level (p < 0.05). Both procedures were well tolerated with minimal side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highly versatile CO2laser is useful for treating acne scars. Subcision prior to the CO2laser procedure showed better improvement when compared to CO2laser alone. Thus, in acne scars, multiple therapeutic modalities achieve better results.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , Venereology and Leprosy , Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore , India.
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Anupama
authors.affiliation: b Department of Dermatology , Venereology and Leprosy , Stanley Medical College, Chennai , India.
authors.forename: Afthab Jameela
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wahab
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Acne scars; CO2 laser; subcision