AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL COMPARISON OF MECHANICAL DERMABRASION AND CARBON-DIOXIDE LASER RESURFACING IN THE MINIPIG MODEL

Objective: To compare the histological and ultrastructural changes in skin collagen with mechanical dermabrasion and pulsed carbon dioxide l aser resurfacing in the minipig model. Setting: Academic medical cente r. Subjects: Yucatan minipig animal skin model. Main Outcome Measures: Comparison of light microscopic and ultrastructural (electron microsc opic) changes in the skin following the 2 resurfacing modalities. Resu lts: No significant difference in collagen histological characteristic s or ultrastructure was detected between the 2 comparison groups. Conc lusions: When mechanical dermabrasion or pulsed carbon dioxide laser r esurfacing is used with similar-depth injury to the dermis in this mod el, the histological changes seen via light microscopy and ultrastruct ural changes seen via electron microscopy are similar between the 2 tr eatment modalities.