Background: Picosecond neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet Laser (ps-Nd:YAG) has emerged as a new alternative in the treatment of various dermatologic diseases.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a fractional 1064-nm ps-Nd:YAG for the improvement of atrophic scars.
Methods: A retrospective chart review and clinical photo analysis were performed on subjects treated with a low-fluence 1064-nm ps-Nd:YAG laser with a micro-lens array (MLA). The Manchester Scar Scale (MSS), 5-point Global Assessment Score (GAS) were measured to evaluate the improvement of the scar.
Results: A total of 18 Korean patients (7 males and 11 females; mean age of 27.94±13.66 years) were analyzed for the retrospective analysis. All patients were treated with a ps-Nd:YAG at the wavelength of 1064-nm, pulse duration of 450 or 750 ps, mean spot size of 5.95 mm (range 4-8 mm), mean fluence of 2 J/㎠ (range 0.3-4.8 J/㎠), and mean pulse rate of 6.13 Hz (range 2-10 Hz). The mean number of treatments was 4.05±2.19 (range: 2 -10), and mean total duration of treatment was 29.94±23.42 weeks (range: 4-68). After laser treatment, the average MSS score was statistically significantly reduced from 9.83 to 7.55 (p < 0.001). The average GAS was measured as 3.61±0.92, which revealed fair gross improvement.
Conclusion: For the treatment of atrophic scars in Asian skin, the fractional low-fluence 1064-nm ps-Nd:YAG can be a effective modality.