Safety profile of laser-assisted drug delivery of vitamin C, E, and ferulic acid serum following ablative fractional resurfacing: A retrospective chart review

Abstract

Objectives The topical application of a combination Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Ferulic acid serum following ablative fractional resurfacing has been reported to shorten post-procedure downtime and improve wound healing. However, transcutaneous drug delivery of cosmeceuticals initially meant for topical application have also been shown to have unintended side effects. The objective of our study was to report safety data from our single academic center experience consisting of patients treated with topical application of a vitamin C-containing cosmeceutical immediately following fractional ablative CO 2 laser treatment with a focus on reportable side effects. Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients at the University of Minnesota M Health Cosmetic Center who had fractional ablative CO 2 (10,600 nm) laser procedure for any diagnosis followed by immediate one-time application of a combination serum containing 15% Vitamin C, 1% Vitamin E, and 0.5% Ferulic acid (C E Ferulic®, SkinCeuticals Inc., New York, NY) from Jan 1, 2015 to Dec 31, 2018 was performed. Pediatric and research opt-out patients were excluded. The medical records of these patients were manually reviewed for the following: age, sex, diagnosis, location, after-care instructions, antiviral and/or antibacterial prophylaxis use, and documentation of post-procedure side effects. Results Thirty-three patients, encompassing a total of 45 treatment encounters, met inclusion criteria. There were ten cases of expec…