This study demonstrated that adding platelet-rich plasma to fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment did not produce any statistically significant synergistic effects and also resulted in more severe side effects and longer downtime.
Background. A consistent treatment has not been proposed for treatment of Striae Alba (SA). The present study was designed to compare the fractionated microneedle radiofrequency (FMR) alone and in combination with fractional carbon dioxide laser (FMR + CO2) in the treatment of SA. Methods. Forty-eight pairs of SA from six patients were selected. Right or left SAs were randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups. The surface area of the SA before and after treatment and clinical improvement using a four-point scale were measured at the baseline, after one and three months. Results. The mean age of the patients was 30.17 ± 5.19 years. The mean difference of the surface area between pre- and posttreatment in the FMR + CO2 group was significantly higher than that in the FMR group (p = 0.003). Clinical improvement scales showed significantly higher improvement in the FMR + CO2 group than in the FMR group in the first and second follow-up (p = 0.002 and 0.004, resp.). There were no major persistence side-effects in both groups. Conclusions. The results showed that FMR + CO2 laser was more effective than FMR alone in the treatment of SA.
Background:A number of treatments for reducing the appearance of acne scars are available, but general guidelines for optimizing acne scar treatment do not exist. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness and side effects of fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing combined with punch elevation with fractional CO2 laser resurfacing alone in the treatment of atrophic acne scars.Materials and Methods:Forty-two Iranian subjects (age range 18–55) with Fitzpatrick skin types III to IV and moderate to severe atrophic acne scars on both cheeks received randomized split-face treatments: One side received fractional CO2 laser treatment and the other received one session of punch elevation combined with two sessions of laser fractional CO2 laser treatment, separated by an interval of 1 month. Two dermatologists independently evaluated improvement in acne scars 4 and 16 weeks after the last treatment. Side effects were also recorded after each treatment.Results:The mean ± SD age of patients was 23.4 ± 2.6 years. Clinical improvement of facial acne scarring was assessed by two dermatologists blinded to treatment conditions. No significant difference in evaluation was observed 1 month after treatment (P = 0.56). Their evaluation found that fractional CO2 laser treatment combined with punch elevation had greater efficacy than that with fractional CO2 laser treatment alone, assessed 4 months after treatment (P = 0.02). Among all side effects, coagulated crust formation and pruritus at day 3 after fractional CO2 laser treatment was significant on both treatment sides (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Concurrent use of fractional laser skin resurfacing with punch elevation offers a safe and effective approach for the treatment of acne scarring.
Background and Aim: Solution-focused therapy is a branch of the postmodern approach in the field of family and couple therapy and focuses on finding solutions to problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of solutionfocused couple therapy on marital satisfaction and adjustment of couples. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with experimental and control groups and pretest-posttest and one-month follow-up, and its statistical population consisted of couples who visited Mehravar Counseling Center of Tehran in 2016. After screening with marital satisfaction Scale (Fowers and Olson, 1993) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) (Spanier, 1976), we selected 20 non-adjustment couples using the purposive method, and randomly replaced 10 couples in the experimental group and 10 couples in the control group. The experimental group received eight sessions of solution-based couple therapy interventions in a group, and the control group was placed on a waiting list. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results:The results indicated that the solution-focused couple therapy significantly increased marital satisfaction (F= 10.68, P= 0.002) and marital adjustment (F= 13.58, P= 0.001) and the results were stable in the follow-up phase (P=0.05).
Conclusion:Based on the findings, solution-focused couple therapy could be a suitable treatment to increase marital satisfaction and adjustment in couples.
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