{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T00:09:57Z","timestamp":1787616597118,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,18]],"date-time":"2024-12-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1734480000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory condition predominantly affecting the anogenital region of postmenopausal women. It is associated with considerable aesthetic and functional impairments and an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma. While high-potency topical corticosteroids remain the cornerstone of treatment, therapeutic options for patients with refractory LS are scarce. Fractional CO2 laser therapy has emerged as a potential second-line intervention aiming to mitigate symptoms and improve quality of life. This prospective observational study investigated the short-term efficacy and safety of fractional CO2 laser therapy in 75 women with refractory LS who underwent four treatment sessions between January 2022 and February 2024. Sixty-nine patients completed the protocol, demonstrating significant reductions in key symptoms, including pruritus (VAS score from 7.53 \u00b1 3.02 to 4.08 \u00b1 3.07), pain (5.83 \u00b1 3.84 to 2.42 \u00b1 2.85), and dyspareunia (8.26 \u00b1 2.82 to 6.34 \u00b1 3.30). Quality of life, sexual function, and psychological well-being also improved, as evidenced by reductions in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores (10.72 \u00b1 7.25 to 5.94 \u00b1 5.16), enhancements in sexual function (FSFI scores from 10.48 \u00b1 8.46 to 15.52 \u00b1 9.59), and decreased depression severity (BDI scores from 16.66 \u00b1 12.64 to 5.94 \u00b1 5.16). Importantly, no adverse effects were reported during the study period. Although these findings highlight the potential of fractional CO2 laser therapy as a safe and effective adjunct for refractory LS, it is essential to acknowledge the study\u2019s limitations, particularly the relatively short follow-up period. Longer-term studies are warranted to confirm sustained benefits and to evaluate the broader applicability of this approach.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life14121678","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,18]],"date-time":"2024-12-18T08:56:32Z","timestamp":1734512192000},"page":"1678","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Efficacy of Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy in Improving Symptoms and Quality of Life in Women with Refractory Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus: A Prospective Observational Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Ana","family":"Gil-Villalba","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Se\u00f1ora de Candelaria, 38010 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain"},{"name":"Instituto Biosanitario de Granada, Ibs, 18012 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u00c1ngela","family":"Ay\u00e9n-Rodr\u00edguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Biosanitario de Granada, Ibs, 18012 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9","family":"Naranjo-D\u00edaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Biosanitario de Granada, Ibs, 18012 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Linares-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Biosanitario de Granada, Ibs, 18012 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0381-6174","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo","family":"Ruiz-Villaverde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Biosanitario de Granada, Ibs, 18012 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"De Luca, D.A., Papara, C., Vorobyev, A., Staiger, H., Bieber, K., Tha\u00e7i, D., and Ludwig, R.J. 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