ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fractional carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser therapy in women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus (VLSC). Methods This retrospective study included 88 women with VLSC who underwent three sessions of fractional CO 2 laser treatment between January 2022 and January 2024. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Cattaneo clinical symptom and sign scoring system to calculate the therapeutic efficacy index. Vulvar pruritus and dyspareunia were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS), and patient‐reported global improvement was assessed with the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI‐C) questionnaire. Follow‐up assessments were conducted at 1, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Results At 1, 6, and 12 months post‐treatment, significant reductions were observed in VAS scores for vulvar pruritus and dyspareunia, as well as in Cattaneo clinical symptom and sign scores (all p < 0.05). The overall response rates were 89.8% (79/88; 95% confidence interval CI, 81.7%–94.5%), 93.2% (82/88; 95% CI, 85.9%–96.8%), and 88.6% (78/88; 95% CI, 80.3%–93.7%), respectively. According to the PGI‐C questionnaire, the proportions of patients reporting improvement or marked improvement were 72.7%, 78.4%, and 70.5% at the corresponding follow‐up time points. No significant differences in treatment outcomes were observed according to disease duration or menopausal status. Conclusion Fractional CO 2 laser therapy was associated with significant and sustained improvement in clinical symptoms and signs of VLSC, suggesting that it may represent a promising therapeutic option for selected women with VLSC.
Wu et al. (2026) studied this question.