An antioxidant serum helped skin heal faster after ablative fractional CO2 laser in a recent split-face trial. For wide, shallow boxcar scars — round crater-like dips with sharp vertical edges — that means easier recovery, not proven scar removal. Fractional CO2 remains a scar treatment, while the serum was tested as short-term aftercare. The headline risk is mixing those roles and expecting flatter scars from faster healing alone.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What makes a scar boxcar
- What the serum trial actually did
- What improved after the laser
- How to protect healing skin
What makes a scar boxcar
Boxcar scars are shallow, wide, round or oval depressions with sharply defined vertical edges. The American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery distinguishes them from narrow deep icepick pits and wavy rolling scars in its scar type guide.
That shape matters because depth, width, and edge sharpness affect treatment choice. A 2014 review summarized on PubMed found fractional CO2 alone works best for rolling and superficial boxcar scars and least well for pitted icepick scars, with multiple sessions usually needed.
What the serum trial actually did
Investigators tested CE Ferulic on one cheek and normal saline on the other cheek for 14 days right after ablative fractional CO2 laser. The PubMed trial record describes a randomized investigator-blinded split-face study in Chinese adults ages 18 to 50 with moderate-to-severe atrophic acne scars in its trial summary.
Both cheeks received the same laser injury, so the design isolates early aftercare. The saline side was a control fluid, not standard moisturizer, sunscreen, or another active product.
What improved after the laser
The CE Ferulic side showed faster wound healing, lower redness and melanin measures, and better hydration and barrier integrity than saline. The PMC full text from the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology reports these early recovery differences in its laser recovery results.
Those are healing measures, not proof of greater long-term boxcar flattening. Because the comparison was saline, the result supports an adjunct effect in that trial rather than superiority over routine aftercare.
How to protect healing skin
Ablative recovery can involve redness, peeling, acne or herpes flares, infection, and pigment change. MDedge reporting on post-laser care stresses strict mineral sunscreen, no picking, and close early follow-up in its post-laser complication guide.
Useful early steps include: A separate retrospective review found no complications with immediate CE Ferulic after ablative fractional resurfacing, but the authors warned against extending that finding to longer courses or other formulas. Ask the treating clinic whether any adjunct fits your pigment risk, herpes history, and planned sessions.
- apply mineral sunscreen as directed once the clinic allows it
- avoid picking, scrubbing, or peeling flaking skin
- report rising pain, spreading redness, blisters, pus, or dark patches promptly
- keep the scheduled early check, especially after ablative treatment
You Might Also Like
- Antioxidant Serum After Fractional CO2 Acne Scar Treatment in 2026: How People With Boxcar Acne Scars Can Compare Acne Scar Procedures
- Antioxidant Serum After Fractional CO2 Acne Scar Treatment in 2026: Cost, Sessions, and Downtime Questions for People With Boxcar Acne Scars
- Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Ferulic Acid After Acne Scar Laser in 2026: How People With Boxcar Acne Scars Can Avoid Overreading the Headline