Fractional CO2 laser is a good option for treating acne scars. However, the clinical efficacy of this treatment modality requires further evidence. To perform a meta-analysis to assess clinical improvements in acne scars with fractional CO2 laser and non-CO2 laser therapies. Databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library) were searched using the search strategy to identify eligible studies. All statistical analyses were performed using the Review Manager 5.0, and a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effects of fractional CO2 laser used as a treatment for acne scars. Eight studies were included for further analysis. There was no significant difference between fractional CO2 laser and non-CO2 laser therapies in terms of clinical improvement, observer assessment (P = .19), patient assessment (P = .91), and incidence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (P = .69). The subgroup analyses showed that the duration of follow-up had little effect on the evaluation of treatment effect. The efficacy of fractional CO2 laser therapy in acne scars appeared to be equal to that of non-CO2 laser therapies. More well designed randomized controlled trials and more credible and standard evaluation criteria are needed, and the efficiency of combination therapy requires further analysis.
Keywords: acne scar; clinical efficacy; fractional CO2 laser; laser therapy; meta-analysis.
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