In a study published in Dermatologic Surgery (September 2014), researchers Dai Hyun Kim, MD, et al, compared the efficacy of carbon dioxide ablative fractional lasers (AFL) and pulsed dye lasers (PDL) for surgical scar improvement. A 10,600nm AFL and a 595nm PDL were used to treat surgical scars on 14 Korean patients; half of each scar was treated with each laser.
AFL improved the pliability and thickness of the scars more effectively than PDL, while PDL demonstrated superior improvement of vascularity and pigmentation. The researchers note that both modalities significantly minimized the appearance of surgical scars, with no overall statistical difference between the two modalities.
