Induction of De Novo Hair Regeneration in Scars After Fractionated Carbon Dioxide Laser Therapy in Three Patients

The document reports on three patients, aged 15 to 25, who experienced de novo hair regeneration in scarred areas following fractionated carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser therapy. The patients had scars from different causes, including toxic epidermal necrolysis and burns, and had previously undergone various skin grafts. After receiving the CO₂ laser treatments, all three patients showed new hair growth within the treated areas. One patient also reported improved sweating ability after treatment. The findings suggest that fractionated CO₂ laser therapy may induce hair follicle regeneration in human scars, challenging the belief that human hair follicles cannot regenerate once destroyed. The authors propose that future research should further investigate these observations, considering the possibility of mechanisms such as Wnt signaling pathway activation contributing to hair synthesis. The study presents a novel finding and calls for additional research to understand the underlying processes better.