A Comparative Study of Effectiveness of Cryotherapy with Intralesional Triamcinolone Vs Fractional CO2 Laser with Topical Betamethasone for the Treatment of Keloids

INTRODUCTION: Keloids are hyperproliferative response of dermal connective tissue to trauma. Their management remains a challenge for practitioners as there is still no universally accepted treatment, leading to recurrences which are frustrating for patients and clinicians alike. Hence, it becomes essential to determine a modality with highest efficacy, least recurrence and produces good aesthetic results. OBJECTIVES: To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of combination of cryotherapy with intralesional corticosteroid and a combination of fractional CO2 laser followed by topical corticosteroids for treatment of keloids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single centre, cross-sectional study consisting of 170 patients. Patients were randomly allocated in two groups, group one received a combination of cryotherapy with intralesional corticosteroid and group two was treated by laser ablation of keloid followed by topical corticosteroid application for four treatment sessions each after which they were evaluated for improvement. RESULTS: There was remarkable difference in the treatment outcome of both the group, with group two showing more improvement (p value <0.001) and markedly fewer side effects. Patients in group two had less pain as compared to patients in group one, making them more compliant to treatment. Majority (31.8%) of patients belonged to 31–40 years of age group. The most common reason for treatment was for cosmetic concerns, seen in 70.6% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Both regimens showed excellent responses with minimum recurrence rates, indicating their high efficacy in management of keloids. However, regimen II was found to be aesthetically superior for the treatment of these exuberant scars.