Dr. Jill S. Waibel, a private practice physician in Miami, and her colleagues are studying the efficacy of ablative fractional lasers for treating burn scars.
A study of 11 patients treated with a 2,940 Er:YAG laser revealed that "through the induction of unique histologic ablation zones, fractional technology leads to an organized wound healing response leading to improved clinical appearance of scars," according to Dr. Waibel and colleagues.
In an interview with reporter Naseem S. Miller at the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery in Kissimmee, Fla., Dr. Waibel said that treating the scars and improving the patients' range of motion has been very rewarding.