BACKGROUND: Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers and phenol chemical peels have been used extensively for facial skin resurfacing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the histologic effects of phenol chemical peels and CO2 laser ablations. METHODS: Local preauricular areas were treated with lasers on one side of the face and a phenol peel on the other. One day after the procedures, the affected areas were biopsied for histologic evaluation. The areas were biopsied again after 3 months. RESULTS: The initial biopsies demonstrated that the CO2 lasers ablate more superficial skin than the peels, but the 3-month biopsy specimens showed that the zone of new collagen formation was thicker as a result of the phenol peels. CONCLUSION: With the parameters used in this study, phenol peels resulted in the formation of a thicker zone of collagen despite the deeper ablation depth of the laser.
BACKGROUND:Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers and phenol chemical peels have been used extensively for facial skin resurfacing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the histologic effects of phenol chemical peels and CO2 laser ablations. METHODS: Local preauricular areas were treated with lasers on one side of the face and a phenol peel on the other. One day after the procedures, the affected areas were biopsied for histologic evaluation. The areas were biopsied again after 3 months. RESULTS: The initial biopsies demonstrated that the CO2 lasers ablate more superficial skin than the peels, but the 3-month biopsy specimens showed that the zone of new collagen formation was thicker as a result of the phenol peels. CONCLUSION: With the parameters used in this study, phenol peels resulted in the formation of a thicker zone of collagen despite the deeper ablation depth of the laser.