Good cosmetic outcomes for super pulse CO2 laser therapy

(HealthDay)—Super pulse carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser is associated with good cosmetic outcomes for benign eyelid lesions, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

In a retrospective clinical study involving 80 patients with 99 benign eyelid lesions, Jing Zhang, M.D., from Fudan University in Shanghai, and colleagues examined the treatment of benign eyelid lesions with a super pulse CO₂ laser as an alternative to surgical excision. The upper eyelid, lower eyelid, and angulus oculi were involved in 38, 39, and seven cases, respectively; the eyelid margin was included in 18 cases. Patients were followed for a mean of 14.0 ± 7.1 months.

The researchers found that after treatment, the cosmetic outcomes of all of the patients were satisfactory, and the wounds formed dry scabs with no infections. Within two to four weeks they were epithelialized with normal-appearing epithelium. Compared with the surrounding normal skin, the treated area temporarily had less hyperpigmentation, but no obvious scars or notches. There were no complications reported and no relapses noted during follow-up.

"The super pulse CO₂ laser therapy of the benign eyelid tumors provided satisfactory cosmetic results in this study," the authors write. "It is a convenient, cheap, accessible, and well-tolerated alternative to traditional surgery, especially for diffuse tumors, or those positioned close to the lacrimal papillae."

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