Clinical trial of a pinpoint irradiation technique with the CO2 laser for the treatment of atrophic acne scars.

Ablative laser resurfacing is an effective treatment for atrophic acne scars. However, it often induces complications such as edema, prolonged erythema, scarring and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, a new concept of laser treatment called fractional photothermolysis has been designed to create microscopic thermal wounds to achieve skin rejuvenation treatment of atrophic acne scars. This study was designed to prospectively evaluate the use of a technique similar to fractional photothermolysis using only the standard CO2 laser without the fractional laser device in the treatment of atrophic scars and demonstrates it as a safe, effective and economical treatment option. Clinical improvement was achieved in all 35 patients with minimal adverse effects.