Combinations of various treatment modalities were shown to be more effective than monotherapy when treating hypertrophic scars and keloids. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of combination therapy with non-ablative fractional laser and intralesional steroid injection. From May 2015 to June 2017, a total of 38 patients with hypertrophic scars or keloids were evaluated. The control group of 21 patients received steroid injection alone, and 17 patients (the combined group) received 1550-nm erbium-glass fractional laser treatment and steroid injection simultaneously. The mean number of treatment sessions was statistically fewer in the combined group than in the control group (6.95 vs 5.47, P = .042). There was a significant difference in the patient's scale in the combined group (14.62 vs 22.82, P = .005); however, the observer's scale was not significantly different (17.92 vs 20.55, P = .549). The recurrence rate was 38.1% (8/21) in the control group and 35.3% (6/17) in the combined groups and showed no significant difference (P = .859). However, the mean remission period was statistically longer in the combined group (3.00 months vs 4.17 months, P = .042). Combination therapy with non-ablative fractional laser and intralesional steroid injection showed better results for the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids with fewer treatment sessions, better patient satisfaction, and longer remission periods.
Keywords: combination therapy; hypertrophic scar; intralesional steroid injection; keloid; non-ablative fractional laser.
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