Post-laser hypersensitivity and the atopic patient

Laser resurfacing has become an extremely popular modality in the treatment of the aging face. Reported complications associated with carbon dioxide laser resurfacing are on the increase. One such complication involves the occurrence of significant hypersensitivity in laser and non-laser-treated areas, often occurring for weeks or months after the original treatment and necessitating topical or systemic steroid therapy. In an effort to identify patients at risk, those with significant hypersensitivity reactions were interviewed retrospectively. Questions regarding their background atopic characteristics were posed. Their responses to certain questions were then compared with those of a control group of 50 patients from the same pool who suffered no ill effects after laser therapy. A total of 151 patients were included in the study (pool). Of these, 14 patients (9.3 percent) suffered significant hypersensitivity. Detailed history in these patients revealed possible prior "allergic sensitivity" in 78.6 percent of patients. In contrast, only 30 percent of 50 nonsymptomatic laser-treated patients admitted to any positive allergic tendencies. It is likely that carbon dioxide laser resurfacing may trigger a sensitivity reaction in susceptible individuals.