Comparative Efficacy of 595-nm Pulsed Dye Laser versus CO2 Fractional Laser in the Treatment of Scars Following Cleft Lip Repair.

BACKGROUND

The development of scars presents a common clinical concern in the management of cleft lip patients. Both 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and CO2 fractional laser are effective treatment options; however, comparative studies between these two modalities are lacking. This study is to evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of 595-nm PDL versus CO2 fractional laser in the treatment of post-cleft lip scars.

METHODS

A total of 34 patients with postoperative cleft lip scars were enrolled between May 2023 and July 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 595-nm PDL every two weeks for six sessions (n = 17), or CO2 fractional laser every three months for two sessions (n = 17). One year post-operation, Scar assessment was performed using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), which evaluates vascularity, pigmentation, pliability, and height.

RESULTS

Both groups showed statistically significant improvement in VSS scores at follow-up compared to baseline (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the two laser treatments in most scar parameters; however, the 595-nm PDL group demonstrated superior outcomes in reducing vascularity.

CONCLUSION

Both 595-nm pulsed dye laser and CO2 fractional laser are safe and effective for treating scars after cleft lip surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors https://www.springer.com/00266 .