Patients' answers to a postoperative questionnaire related to laser resurfacing

To date there is no information that evaluates, from the patient's point of view, the experience of undergoing CO(2) laser skin resurfacing. This article investigates the outcome of laser resurfacing for various cutaneous problems with respect to the patient's expectations and experiences and the surgeon's opinions. Patients were entered into the study prospectively and presented with a questionnaire, at 12 months after treatment, to evaluate the patient's skin resurfacing experience. All patients received standardized preoperative counseling and underwent a standardized surgical protocol, conducted by the same surgeon. Eighty-eight percent of patients considered the result of the laser resurfacing to be very good, and 97% indicated that they had experienced little pain or discomfort. Nevertheless, 77% of patients stated that they would be unwilling to undergo another resurfacing procedure. This discrepancy is most likely the result of the patients' experiences in relation to the degree of erythema afterward. Most patients stated a desire to have more information regarding the procedure, particularly with respect to their experiences concerning postoperative erythema and exudates in the treated area. From the study it can be concluded that patients require extensive preoperative counseling, including a full explanation of all possible sequelae of these procedures to improve the patient's experience.