The first consideration is the cost. A CO2 laser therapy may cost from $300 to $800, depending on the size of your keloid and the number of sessions you need. Spending that much money on something that might not benefit you is unnecessary.
Second, you must endure a great deal of agonizing agony that causes you to want to cry. And even if you do manage to get through it, your keloid probably won’t entirely disappear with only one session. Before any noticeable improvement in its appearance, you’ll probably need to make several trips.
Finally, there’s no guarantee that your keloid will even respond at all to a CO2 laser treatment. In fact, there are some people who have tried this treatment multiple times and still had no success in getting rid of their keloids.
This article also talk about fractional co2 laser treatment for keloids and laser treatment for keloid before and after
Co2 Laser For Keloids
Keloids are fibrous growths that occur as a result of abnormal response to dermal injury. Keloids are cosmetically disfiguring and may impair function, often resulting in decreased patient quality-of-life. Treatment of keloids remains challenging, and rate of recurrence is high. We present a case of a 39-year-old African-American man (Fitzpatrick VI) with a 10-year history of keloid, who was successfully treated with eight sessions of fractionated carbon dioxide (CO2) laser immediately followed by laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) of topical triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) ointment and review the medical literature on fractionated CO2 laser treatment of keloids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of successful treatment of a keloid using combination therapy of fractionated CO2 laser and LADD with topical TAC ointment in an African-American man (Fitzpatrick VI) with excellent cosmetic results sustained at 22 months post-treatment. We believe that this combination treatment modality may be safe and efficacious for keloids in skin of color (Fitzpatrick IV-VI) and other patients. This case highlights the ability of laser surgeons to safely use fractionated CO2 lasers in patients of all skin colors.
2017;16(9):925-927 J Drugs Dermatol. Keloids are fibrous growths that commonly affect people in their second and third decades of life and are a result of an aberrant response to skin injury. 1 Keloids are nodular, hard lesions that don’t spontaneously retreat and spread beyond the site of the initial injury. They frequently continue to expand over time. 1 With an estimated incidence of 5–16% among Hispanic and African-American people, the prevalence is high in the population of skin color. Although benign, keloids are physically unattractive and may hinder function, which frequently lowers patient quality of life. 2 Keloids have been linked to complaints of soreness, itching, and burning. Despite a multitude of potential therapeutic approaches, treating keloids remains difficult. 3 Compression and silicon sheeting are currently used as therapeutic techniques in addition to surgery, pharmacotherapies employing topical imiquimod, topical or intralesional steroids, intralesional bleomycin, 5-fluorouracil, and interferon. 4 Even with combination therapy, recurrence rates are substantial (estimated at 50–80%), despite the fact that treatment success rates vary. Several studies have been conducted on the topic of treating keloids with a fractionated carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and topical triamcinolone acetonide (TAC). Water absorbs the light at a wavelength of 10600 nm that the CO2 laser emits, causing tissue to vaporize. Microthermal zones (MTZs), which are discrete columns of ablated tissue surrounded by undamaged skin created by fractionated CO2 lasers, can aid in tissue regeneration and trigger a quick wound healing response. 6,7 We present a case of an African-American man with a 10-year history of keloid who was successfully treated with eight sessions of fractionated CO2 laser therapy followed immediately by laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) of topical TAC ointment. We also review the scientific literature on the use of fractionated CO2 laser therapy for the treatment of keloids.
CASE REPORT
A 39-year-old African-American man (Fitzpatrick VI) presented to the dermatology clinic for treatment of a keloid on the posterior scalp status post-excision of acne keloidalis nuchae approximately 10 years prior. The patient complained of the aesthetically displeasing appearance of thickened skin on the posterior scalp and neck (Figure 1A). Other medical history was non-contributory.The patient underwent eight treatments of SmartXide DOT HP fractional CO2 laser (DEKA Medical Inc., San Francisco, CA) to the lateral poles and center of the keloid 6 to 8 weeks apart
Fractional Co2 Laser Treatment For Keloids
Background: The hypertrophic and keloid scars are thick , raised, disfiguring areas of skin with abnormal
prolonged inflammatory response of wound healing process and overproduction of collagen. Carbon dioxide
(CO2) laser has been used in the treatment of hypertrophic scar and keloids for more than 20 years.
Aim of Study: To evaluate the effect of (CO2) laser in treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scar with use of
intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (kenacort) 40 mg/ml as adjuvant therapy.
Methodology: The study was done on 22 patients in Imam al-Sadiq teaching hospital in Hilla city with
dividing the patients randomly in to two groups ,one group treated with four sessions of intralesional
corticosteroids and the second group treated with four sessions of intralesional corticosteroids with carbon
dioxide laser.
Laser Treatment For Keloid Before And After
- Laser treatment cannot get rid of a scar. Thanks to recent advancements in medicine, lasers are becoming a dermatologist’s go-to treatment for many scars. Laser treatment can:
Prevent a raised scar from forming after surgery
Reduce scar pain and itch
Increase your range of motion if a scar limits movement
Laser treatment can also make a scar less noticeable, but it cannot get rid of a scar. When you have laser scar treatment, you’re replacing one scar with another less-noticeable scar.
- Your results depend largely on the skills of the person performing the laser treatment. Dermatologists are at the forefront of researching and treating scars with lasers.
In the hands of a board-certified dermatologist, laser treatment can safely treat many types of scars.
When the person performing your laser treatment lacks medical expertise and specialized knowledge of the skin, laser treatment may not give you the results you seek. It can even be dangerous.
- A medical consultation is crucial before any laser treatment. If someone promises to treat your scar before providing a medical consultation, walk away.
Give your dermatologist a list of the medications and supplements you take. To heal well and prevent the laser from scarring your skin, you may need to stop taking something for a while.
Woman consulting a dermatologist
It’s essential for the person performing your laser treatment to know about you. Everyone is unique. To treat a scar effectively, the person performing your laser treatment must consider your skin type, characteristics of your scar, and your overall health.
During the medical consultation, tell your dermatologist if you:
Get cold sores
Have any medical condition, including diabetes
Smoke
Take any medications or supplements
It’s also important for your dermatologist to know what results you expect from treatment. Be honest.
- Sun protection is crucial before and after laser treatment. If you show up for laser treatment with a tan or sunburn, your dermatologist cannot treat you. Using a laser could cause a serious burn or discolor your skin.
After having laser treatment, you’ll need to protect your skin from the sun until your skin heals. If the sun’s harmful rays hit your treated skin, you can develop another scar.
- You may need to make a few lifestyle changes before treatment. To heal well and get the best results from laser treatment, dermatologists recommend that patients:
Quit smoking for at least 2 weeks before laser treatment.
Stop taking vitamin E, aspirin, and other medications and supplements that can delay healing.
For two to four weeks, refrain from using skin care products that contain retinoids or glycolic acid.
Take medication to prevent getting cold sores if you’re prone to developing cold sores.
Avoid the sun, tanning bed, or sunlamp. You cannot be treated if you have a tan or sunburn.
- Your treatment plan may include more than laser treatment. To give patients the best results, dermatologists often use more than one treatment for scars. For example, if a patient has deep acne scars, a dermatologist may treat the scars with a laser. The patient may also get a filler.
- You may need more than one laser treatment. To give a patient long-lasting results and the most improvement, a dermatologist may schedule a series of laser treatments. This is often necessary when using a type of laser called a non-ablative laser. You won’t have downtime with this laser, but to see the desired results, you may need a few laser treatments.
- After laser treatment, you’ll need to care for the treated area at home. Following your dermatologist’s instructions for at-home care after laser treatment will help you see the best results and prevent possible side effects.
- Results take time to appear. It can take months to see the results from laser scar treatment, and you may notice little improvement at first.
- Insurance may not cover the cost. Laser scar treatment can ease the pain and itch that scars sometimes cause. If a scar limits movement, laser treatment can help you move more freely. Still, insurance providers consider laser treatments cosmetic treatments. Health insurance generally does not cover the cost of cosmetic treatments.
If you’re considering laser scar treatment, the best way to find out if it’s right for you is to meet with a board-certified dermatologist. You can find one who specializes in laser procedures at, Find a dermatologist – Select the Specialty “laser procedures”.