Research Situation, Hotspots, and Global Trends in Laser Treatment of Acne Scars: A Bibliometric Analysis of Related Research From 2014 to 2024.

Abstract

Background: Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, commonly resulting in acne scars. Treating acne scars remains a significant challenge in dermatology. With advancements in laser technology, its clinical use for treating acne scars has been increasing annually. However, bibliometric analysis on laser treatment for acne scars is lacking. This study aims to use bibliometrics to comprehensively understand the development trends and research hotspots in laser treatment for acne scars.

Methods: Using "acne scar" and "laser" as search terms, literature on laser treatment of acne scars from 2014 to 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. The literature data were visualized using VOSviewers, CiteSpace, and R software, generating maps of countries, research institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords.

Results: The analysis included 536 articles from 46 countries, with the United States and China leading in publications. Publications focusing on laser treatment of acne scars exhibit a consistent growth trend annually. Key research institutions include Mahidol University in Thailand, Cairo University in Egypt, and Hallym University in South Korea. The "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology" had the highest number of articles in this field, while "Dermatologic Surgery" was the most cited publication. These publications involved contributions from 2135 authors, with Professor Manuskiatti Woraphong from Mahidol University in Thailand being the most prolific author in this field. Research on the efficacy of laser treatment for acne scars is a major focus in this field. Among the different types of lasers, CO₂ lasers are the most commonly used. Emerging research focuses include therapies such as platelet-rich plasma, picosecond laser, trichloroacetic acid, and burn scar.

Conclusions: Treatment efficacy is the primary focus of research in the field of laser treatment for acne scars. Platelet-rich plasma, and novel picosecond lasers, have emerged as hot topics and trends in this research field. However, it is important to note that the impact factors of journals publishing in this field are currently low. Therefore, clinicians must consider and explore strategies for publishing high-quality clinical research in the future.