Treatment of burn scar using a carbon dioxide fractional laser

In Asian patients, ablative laser therapies are seldom used to treat burn scars due to posttreatment dyschromia, especially when nonfacial areas are treated. The non-ablative 1550-nm erbium-doped fractional photothermolysis system, although effective, requires multiple treatment sessions. In the authors hands, a 34-year-old Korean woman achieved improved atrophy, contracture, texture and color of a burn scar on her chest after two treatments spaced six weeks apart with an ablative 10,600 nm CO2 fractional laser system (Ultrapulse Encore Laser, Lumenis Inc., Santa Clara, CA).