{"title":"Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Fractional CO<sub>2</sub> Laser and Gold Microneedling Radiofrequency for Atrophic Acne Scars: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Xiaoyan Xiang, Weilong Shuai, Yunzhu Mu","doi":"10.1111/srt.70345","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acne is a prevalent dermatological disorder that profoundly affects patients' quality of life, frequently resulting in both physical discomfort and psychological distress. Conventional treatments, including topical agents, oral medications, and chemical peels, are primarily designed to alleviate symptoms but may be insufficient in effectively addressing persistent acne scars. Recent innovations in therapeutic technologies, such as microneedling radiofrequency (RF) and fractional carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) laser, have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing skin regeneration and improving the aesthetic appearance of acne scars.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Microneedling RF operates by generating mechanical microinjuries in conjunction with RF energy, thereby stimulating dermal remodeling and collagen synthesis. In contrast, fractional CO<sub>2</sub> laser creates precisely controlled microthermal zones that facilitate wound healing and promote the regeneration of new tissue. This review critically examines the clinical efficacy of these two modalities, exploring their individual mechanisms and comparing treatment outcomes. Additionally, the potential synergistic effects of combining these technologies are discussed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both microneedling RF and fractional CO<sub>2</sub> laser have demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating acne scars. The treatment outcomes, however, may vary depending on patient-specific factors and treatment parameters. The combined use of these modalities is currently under investigation for its potential to enhance therapeutic effects.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Microneedling RF and fractional CO<sub>2</sub> laser have proven to be effective in improving acne scars, with promising results in skin regeneration and scar appearance. Future research should focus on refining treatment protocols and exploring the synergistic effects of combining these approaches to optimize clinical outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21746,"journal":{"name":"Skin Research and Technology","volume":"32 4","pages":"e70345"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13052295/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Skin Research and Technology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.70345","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"DERMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Acne is a prevalent dermatological disorder that profoundly affects patients' quality of life, frequently resulting in both physical discomfort and psychological distress. Conventional treatments, including topical agents, oral medications, and chemical peels, are primarily designed to alleviate symptoms but may be insufficient in effectively addressing persistent acne scars. Recent innovations in therapeutic technologies, such as microneedling radiofrequency (RF) and fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing skin regeneration and improving the aesthetic appearance of acne scars.
Materials and methods: Microneedling RF operates by generating mechanical microinjuries in conjunction with RF energy, thereby stimulating dermal remodeling and collagen synthesis. In contrast, fractional CO2 laser creates precisely controlled microthermal zones that facilitate wound healing and promote the regeneration of new tissue. This review critically examines the clinical efficacy of these two modalities, exploring their individual mechanisms and comparing treatment outcomes. Additionally, the potential synergistic effects of combining these technologies are discussed.
Results: Both microneedling RF and fractional CO2 laser have demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating acne scars. The treatment outcomes, however, may vary depending on patient-specific factors and treatment parameters. The combined use of these modalities is currently under investigation for its potential to enhance therapeutic effects.
Conclusion: Microneedling RF and fractional CO2 laser have proven to be effective in improving acne scars, with promising results in skin regeneration and scar appearance. Future research should focus on refining treatment protocols and exploring the synergistic effects of combining these approaches to optimize clinical outcomes.
期刊介绍：
Skin Research and Technology is a clinically-oriented journal on biophysical methods and imaging techniques and how they are used in dermatology, cosmetology and plastic surgery for noninvasive quantification of skin structure and functions. Papers are invited on the development and validation of methods and their application in the characterization of diseased, abnormal and normal skin.
Topics include blood flow, colorimetry, thermography, evaporimetry, epidermal humidity, desquamation, profilometry, skin mechanics, epiluminiscence microscopy, high-frequency ultrasonography, confocal microscopy, digital imaging, image analysis and computerized evaluation and magnetic resonance. Noninvasive biochemical methods (such as lipids, keratin and tissue water) and the instrumental evaluation of cytological and histological samples are also covered.
The journal has a wide scope and aims to link scientists, clinical researchers and technicians through original articles, communications, editorials and commentaries, letters, reviews, announcements and news. Contributions should be clear, experimentally sound and novel.
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