Twenty-five years of active laser prevention of scars: what have we learned?

Objective: Cosmetic results after skin surgery are essential for patient satisfaction. Since 1983, different lasers have been used to accelerate and improve the healing process in surgical scars. This article aims to review the different laser therapies available for preventive treatment of scars.

Methods: A Medline literature search was performed on laser scar prevention with cross-referencing.

Results: Different lasers have been used for the preventive treatment of scars. Both the pulsed dye laser (PDL) (585 and 595 nm) and laser-assisted skin healing (LASH) (810 nm) provide excellent results. The mechanism of action, side effects and clinical applications are carefully reviewed in this article. Ease of the procedure, practical application of the laser and price of the therapy are then discussed for both types of laser.

Conclusions: Two different lasers have mostly been used for the preventive treatment of scars. It appears that the use of laser energy in the early phase of the healing process is critical in the improvement of the resulting scar. More research is still warranted to understand the mechanisms of action potentially leading to scarless healing. Finally, the widespread, routine use of this technique will largely depend on the ease of use of the system.