Use of Onion Extract, Heparin, Allantoin Gel in Prevention of Scarring in Chinese Patients Having Laser Removal of Tattoos: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Use of Onion Extract, Heparin, Allantoin Gel in Prevention of Scarring in Chinese Patients Having Laser Removal of Tattoos: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
July 2006
To cite this article: WAI SUN HO FRCS, SHUN YUEN YING FRCS, PIK CHU CHAN RN, HENRY H CHAN FRCP(Glas) (2006)
Use of Onion Extract, Heparin, Allantoin Gel in Prevention of Scarring in Chinese Patients Having Laser Removal of Tattoos: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Dermatologic Surgery 32 (7), 891Ò896.
doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32192.x
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WAI SUN HO, FRCS*
*Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; , SHUN YUEN YING, FRCSDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; , PIK CHU CHAN, RNDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; , and HENRY H. CHAN, FRCP(Glas)Dermatology and Laser Center, Hong Kong SAR, and Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China*Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Dermatology and Laser Center, Hong Kong SAR, and Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Wai Sun Ho, FRCS, Room 910, 33 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong SAR, China, e-mail: howsclinic@yahoo.com.hk.
Wai Sun Ho, FRCS, Shun Yuen Ying, FRCS, Pik Chu Chan, RN, and Henry H. Chan, FRCP(Glas), have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

Abstract
BACKGROUND With rapid advancement in cutaneous laser therapy, Q-switched lasers have become the standard treatment for tattoo removal. The longer wavelength Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is used when removing tattoos in darker skin patients to avoid scarring and permanent pigment changes. Nevertheless, the local experience revealed that nearly 25% of the Chinese patients developed scarring. Meanwhile, multiple clinical studies have shown that Contractubex gel (Merz Pharma, Frankfurt, Germany) was effective in the treatment and prevention of hypertrophic scars and keloids.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of Contractubex gel in the prevention of scarring after laser removal of tattoos in Chinese patients.

METHODS A total of 120 Chinese patients with 144 professional blue-black tattoos were recruited into the study. They were randomly assigned into the Contractubex group or the control group. All patients were treated with a QS 1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser using a 3-mm spot size, a 10-Hz repeat rate, a pulse duration of 6 nanoseconds, and fluences that ranged from 3.6 to 4.8 J/cm2 (mean fluence, 4.2 J/cm2). The treated areas were assessed 3 months after the last treatments for clinical clearance and complications.

RESULTS Fifty-two patients with 61 tattoos in the Contractubex group were able to achieve a mean clearing rate of 82.3±11.6%. There were 7 tattoos in 7 patients that developed scarring, 4 patients had permanent hypopigmentation, and 3 patients had transient hyperpigmentation. In contrast, 55 patients with 68 tattoos in the control group had a mean clearing rate of 80.4±11.3%. Among them, 16 tattoos in 14 patients developed scarring, 4 patients had permanent hypopigmentation, and 5 patients had transient hyperpigmentation. Although there was no significant difference in age, sex, fluence, treatment session, and clinical clearance between the two groups, the Contractubex group had a statistically significantly lower rate of scarring than the control group (p<.05).

CONCLUSION Contractubex gel is effective in scar prevention in Chinese patients having laser removal of tattoos.

This article is cited by:
Gudrun Pfirrmann, Syrus Karsai, Susanne Roos, Stefan Hammes, Christian Raulin. (2007) Tattoo removal Ò state of the art. JDDG 5:10, 889Ò897
Abstract Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF
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Bishara S. Atiyeh. (2007) Nonsurgical Management of Hypertrophic Scars: Evidence-Based Therapies, Standard Practices, and Emerging Methods. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 31:5, 468
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