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Lasers, Lights and Other Technologies pp 181–194Cite as

CO2 Laser for Scars

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Abstract

Scars result from the substitution of a damaged skin to a new and abnormal tissue following an injury. Ablative devices, including the Erbium and carbon dioxide lasers, have shown to be effective in improving the appearance of scars, including mature burn scars. The CO2 laser promotes thermal fractionated ablation of the skin, and the resultant selective healing stimuli improve the altered tissue. The scars, then, become more homogeneous with the surrounding skin. The carbon dioxide laser can be combined to other interventions to achieve optimal results. It can also be used to allow drug penetration into the dermis, homogeneously, a technique called drug delivery. It has been reported the use of drugs such as corticoids to reduce the hypertrophic scars and poli-l-latic acid (PLLA) to increase collagenesis in atrophic scars. In post-procedure/post-treatment and burn scars, the early use of the CO2 laser is important to remodel the tissue before the maturation of the scar, therefore bringing better cosmetic results. In this chapter, we will expatiate on the multiple kinds of scars, the ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser CO2 peculiarities and the approach of different types of scars through the use of this technology. We will also discuss the precautions to be taken before the procedure (pre-treatment), the procedure itself, the post-procedure/posttreatment care, the most commonly seen side effects and how to deal with them.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Miguel de Frias, 77 Sala 1215, Icaraí, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

    Thales Lage Bicalho Bretas

  2. Brazilian Society of Dermatology, Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 595/402, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Aline Tanus & Marcia Linhares

  3. Department of Clinical Medicine – Dermatology, Fluminense Federal University, Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 595/402, Ipanema, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

    Maria Claudia Almeida Issa

Authors
  1. Thales Lage Bicalho Bretas
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  2. Aline Tanus
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  3. Marcia Linhares
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  4. Maria Claudia Almeida Issa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thales Lage Bicalho Bretas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Medicine – Dermatology, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria Claudia Almeida Issa

  2. Clínicas Hospital of São Paulo of the University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Bhertha Tamura

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Lage Bicalho Bretas, T., Tanus, A., Linhares, M., Issa, M.C.A. (2018). CO2 Laser for Scars. In: Issa, M., Tamura, B. (eds) Lasers, Lights and Other Technologies. Clinical Approaches and Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16799-2_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16799-2_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16798-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16799-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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