Burn scars treated by pinhole method using a carbon dioxide laser

Burn scars treated by pinhole method using a carbon dioxide laser
December 2006
To cite this article: Sung Won WHANG, Kyu-yeop LEE, Sung Bin CHO, Sang Joo LEE, Jin Moon KANG, Young Koo KIM, In Hwan NAM, Kee Yang CHUNG (2006)
Burn scars treated by pinhole method using a carbon dioxide laser
The Journal of Dermatology 33 (12), 869Ò872.
doi:10.1111/j.1346-8138.2006.00198.x
Blackwell Synergy

Sung Won WHANG 1 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, , Kyu-yeop LEE 1 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, , Sung Bin CHO 1 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, , Sang Joo LEE 2 2Yonsei Star Skin and Laser Clinic, Seoul, , Jin Moon KANG 2 2Yonsei Star Skin and Laser Clinic, Seoul, , Young Koo KIM 2 2Yonsei Star Skin and Laser Clinic, Seoul, , In Hwan NAM 3 3Daejeon Severance Skin Clinic, Daejeon, Korea, Kee Yang CHUNG 1 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine,

Correspondence: Kee Yang Chung, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. Email: kychung@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Key words: burn scar, carbon dioxide laser, pinhole.

ABSTRACT

Many patients with burn injuries have various complications and emotional problems due to scars. Although various modalities to improve burn scars have been attempted, such as excision of scars, skin grafts, laser abrasion and silicone product usage, the cosmetic outcomes have not been satisfactory for a large portion of patients. Herein, we describe two cases which showed satisfactory cosmetic results after treatment of burns scars with the pinhole method using a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser that allowed us to make deep, closely set holes reaching down to the upper dermis. A 20-year-old female patient with a scar on her neck and a 25-year-old female patient with a scar on her right forearm after burn injuries are presented. As early as only a few weeks after the treatment, the scars showed relaxation of contracture, reduction of wrinkles and improvement of texture and color compared to before the treatment. Treatment of burn scars with the pinhole method can be easily performed and results in dramatic improvement in scar quality with only a few side-effects.

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