Efficacy and Safety of Fractional CO2 Laser Combined with Halometasone Cream for Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Chronic Hand Eczema: A Prospective, Single-Center, Parallel-Group, Open-Label Randomized Trial

A study involving 67 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) found that the combination of fractional CO2 laser and halometasone cream was more effective than halometasone cream alone. The patients were divided into two groups: group A (33 patients) received the combination treatment, while group B (34 patients) received only the halometasone cream. At week 12, the treatment success rate was 62.1% in group A and 27.6% in group B. The hand eczema severity index (HECSI), dermatology life quality index (DLQI), and quality of life in hand eczema questionnaire (QOLHEQ) all decreased more in group A than in group B, indicating a greater improvement in symptoms and quality of life. The relapse rate at week 24 was lower in group A (11.1%) than in group B (50.0%). The most common adverse effect was skin pigmentation.