A study evaluated the efficacy and safety of laser alone therapy and laser combination therapy for keloid by utilizing data extracted from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science.

The meta-analysis included a total of 29 articles. During the mean follow-up of 14 months, the following observations were made-

The overall improvement rates of baseline Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score and itch were 0.454 and 0.786 in the laser combination therapy group. 

The improvement rates of scar height and flexibility in the laser combination therapy group were 0.629 and 0.784. 

The average improvement rate of the scar score in laser combination therapy was 0.338; however, there were insufficient data for laser alone therapy comparison. 

The laser combination therapy had a greater pain improvement rate, 0.580 versus 0.420 of laser alone therapy, 

The laser combination therapy had a greater degree of good or excellent (> 50%) improvement in the overall scar, 0.636 versus 0.149, with laser alone therapy. 

A lower regrowth rate of 0.187 versus 0.249 was observed in the laser combination therapy compared with those rates in the laser alone therapy.

A lower post-treatment pigmentation rate of 0.125 versus 0.135 was observed in the laser combination therapy compared with those rates in the laser alone therapy.

A lower infection rate of 0.047 versus 0.076 was observed in the laser combination therapy compared with those rates in the laser alone therapy.

Thus it was concluded that the overall effect of laser combination therapy is better than that of laser alone therapy, and the incidence of adverse reactions is lower in laser combination therapy than in laser alone therapy.

Source: Lasers Med Sci. 2021 Jul 20. doi: 10.1007/s10103-021-03364-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34283306.