A split-face study of moisturizer containing Centella asiatica extract after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing

Ablative fractional 10,600 nm CO2 laser resurfacing is a popular method of treating photoaging, skin laxity, and atrophic scars [1-5]. The mechanism of the ablative fractional CO2 laser is fractional photothermolysis with an ablative 10,600 nm wavelength. It delivers microthermal zones, which are microscopic columns of thermal injury, to a specific fraction of epidermal and dermal tissue [6,7]. The microthermal zones are surrounded by healthy, intact skin, and rapid reepithelization occurs via the migration of cells from the adjacent epidermis and follicular units [1,6,7]. This rapid reepithelization leads to decreased recovery time, side effects, and complications compared to traditional non-fractional laser resurfacing, but recovery time and downtime following ablative fractional CO2 laser resurfacing are often unavoidable [8,9]. Moreover, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) commonly occurs in Asian patients [8,10]. Numerous methods have been introduced to shorten the downtime and the incidence of PIH, such as early sun protection, topical Moon Seok Kang, Kyong Chan Park, Seung Min Nam