Silicone Gel Enhances Laser Scar Treatment Outcomes

Applying a silicone gel to atrophic acne scars following treatment with an Er:YAG laser significantly reduces scar size and roughness when compared to laser treatment alone. Thai researchers Jenvajee Khamthara, et al, performed a split-face study. Nineteen patients with atrophic acne scars underwent three sessions of ablative Er:YAG laser treatment at one-month intervals. A silicone gel or placebo was applied randomly in a split-face manner following each treatment. The researchers assessed roughness, smoothness, hydration and transepidermal water loss at baseline, prior to each treatment and one month after the last treatment. The laser treatments resulted in clinical improvements in all patients. The scars on the sides treated with topical silicone gel had significantly less roughness at weeks 4 and 12 compared to the placebo-treated side. The study was published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy (Volume 20, 2018)