A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of the Ultra-Pulse CO2 Fractional Laser in the Treatment of Depressed Acne Scars

The systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of ultra-pulse CO2 fractional laser treatment for depressed acne scars, analyzing data from 6 studies with 467 patients. The treatment was found to improve skin smoothness and total skin lesion scores, with a 37.6%±9.6% improvement rate after two courses, and was associated with less trauma, faster healing, and minimal adverse reactions. The combination with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) further enhanced effectiveness by promoting collagen regeneration. Although the treatment showed superior curative effects compared to other methods, the study emphasized the need for larger clinical trials to better assess adverse reactions and long-term effects due to small sample sizes and inconsistent outcome measures in the included studies.