Combination of 1,064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser and steroid tape decreases the total treatment time of hypertrophic scars: An analysis of 40 cases of cesarean-section scars

Chia Hsuan Tsai, Huang Kai Kao, Satoshi Akaishi, Jennifer An-Jou Lin, Rei Ogawa*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND The 1,064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser (Cutera, Inc., Brisbane, CA) and steroid tape (fludroxycortide tape) have been used to treat keloids and hypertrophic scars.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of contact-mode 1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser therapy and steroid tape for hypertrophic cesarean-section scars versus conservative therapy (steroid tape only). MATERIALS AND METHODS A medical record review identified 40 consecutive Japanese patients who had hypertrophic scars (total Japan Scar Workshop Scar Scale [JSS] 2015 evaluation scores of 9 to 12) for more than 1 year after a vertical cesarean section and who were treated at our scar-specialist clinic from July 2015 to December 2017. All 40 patients continued treatment until the total JSS score dropped below 3. Recurrence was defined as a ≥1-point increase in the total JSW score 6 months after achieving a total JSS score <3. RESULTS The patients had a mean age of 34.2 years. The test (n = 25) and control (n = 15) groups took on average 16.9 and 24.3 months to achieve a total JSS score <3, respectively (p <.01). In the following 6 months, none of the scars recurred. CONCLUSION Nd:YAG laser treatment effectively decreased the total treatment time of hypertrophic cesarean-section scars. An algorithm for treating mild and severe hypertrophic cesarean-section scars is proposed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1062-1067
Number of pages6
JournalDermatologic Surgery
Volume46
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 01 08 2020

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Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

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