Comparative Study Between the efficacy of Long-Pulsed Neodymium- YAG Laser and Fractional Co2 Laser in the Treatment of Striae Distensae

Abstract

Introduction: Stretch marks, or striae distensae (SD), are the lesions of the dermis caused by its linear atrophy at the sites of stretching. They occur in more than 70% of pregnant women and adolescents as a result of cutaneous stretching. This study aimed at evaluating and comparing the clinical and histological efficacy of the fractional CO2 laser versus the long pulsed (LP) Nd: YAG laser in the treatment of striae alba. Methods: Thirty female subjects having bilateral symmetrical stretch marks were managed by the LP Nd: YAG laser on the right side and the fractional CO2 laser on the left side. The laser treatment course consisted of 3 sessions with an interval of 3 weeks. The patient satisfaction score and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) were employed in the study in order to assess the improvement 3 months after therapy. Punch biopsies measuring 4 mm were extracted from one lesion on each side at baseline and after the last treatment session by 3 months to evaluate the thickness of both collagen and epidermis Results: Clinical improvement was more significant in the lesions treated by the LP Nd:YAG laser than those treated with the fractional CO2 laser. The patient satisfaction score and the GAIS were higher with a statistically significant value in the side treated by the LP Nd:YAG laser. Collagen and epidermal thickness increased more in the LP Nd: YAG laser-treated lesions in comparison to their thickness in the fractional CO2 laser-managed lesions, but this difference did not have a statistical significance. Conclusion: The clinical efficacy of the LP Nd-YAG laser exceeded that of the fractional CO2 laser in the treatment of striae alba without severe side effects in spite of the insignificant histological difference between the two lasers.

Efficacy and safety of bipolar fractional radiofrequency vs. 2940‐nm Er:YAG ablative fractional laser in striae distensae treatment: A split abdomen study

“…3 Fractional treatments, such as fractional radiofrequency (FRF) and ablative fractional laser (AFL), performed better in remodeling the dermis. 4,5 Recently, nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) and AFL (2940-nm Er:YAG laser, ablative 10 600 nm carbon dioxide fractional laser) have been shown to be effective in improving SD. 5,6 In 2018, our research team found a significant clinical benefit in utilizing a combination of 2940-nm Er:YAG AFL with LED-RL and rb-bFGF for treating SA.…”

“…Based on the success of photoelectric treatments for scarring and rhytides, photoelectric treatments have been applied to SD to achieve a similar level of effectiveness 3 . Fractional treatments, such as fractional radiofrequency (FRF) and ablative fractional laser (AFL), performed better in remodeling the dermis 4,5 . Recently, non‐ablative fractional laser (NAFL) and AFL (2940‐nm Er:YAG laser, ablative 10 600 nm carbon dioxide fractional laser) have been shown to be effective in improving SD 5,6 .…”