Use of Raman spectroscopy in the assessment of skin after CO₂ ablative fractional laser surgery on acne scars

Background: Ablative fractional laser surgery is a common technique for treating acne scars. However, an in vivo and noninvasive analysis of the histologic variations between acne skin and the resulting resurfaced skin is needed in order to evaluate the wound healing process of the scars induced by the ablative fractional laser surgery. Materials and Methods: Nine patients with acne scars underwent a single treatment with a CO₂ ablative fractional laser surgery. Collagen presence on the resurfaced skin was noninvasively assessed by means of Raman spectroscopy and principal component analysis. Results: Principal component analysis shows that all the patients presented a collagen regeneration on the resurfaced skin after the laser treatment. Conclusion: Collagen plays a crucial role in the wound healing process. By assessing the collagen presence on the skin, it was possible to quantify the regenerative effects of the ablative fractional laser in a noninvasive way.