Surgical scar prevention
Laser and energy-based therapies for surgical scar minimization network meta-analysis
Yenyuwadee S, et al. Acta Dermato-Venereologica. 2024.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of surgical scar interventions ranked low-level laser therapy and pulsed-dye laser among effective options for minimizing surgical scars.
Evidence grade
moderate
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The analysis included 18 RCTs with 482 participants and 671 wounds.
- Laser and energy-based treatments started within 6 months after surgery were evaluated for scar minimization.
- Low-level laser therapy ranked favorably, but devices and protocols were clinical and heterogeneous.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied across included RCTs |
| Duration | Started within 6 months after surgery in included studies |
| Treatment area | Surgical scars |
| Device type | Low-level laser and other energy-based scar devices |
Caveats
- The review covers multiple energy-based modalities, not only red/NIR LED panels.
- Fresh surgical wounds should follow surgeon wound-care instructions before any light therapy.