Evaluation of treatment of acne scars with 25% trichloroacetic acid chemical peel followed by manual dermasanding

Background Acne scars are common problems encountered in daily dermatologic practice. Aims To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 25% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) alone or followed by manual dermasanding in repeated sessions for the treatment of mild and moderate acne scars. Patients/Methods Thirteen patients (nine females and four males) were enrolled. Twenty-five percent TCA superficial peel was performed in all patients, followed in 11 of them by manual dermasanding. Thirteen sessions of TCA peeling, one session for each patient, were done, and twenty-four sessions of dermasanding with different numbers for each patient. Acne scars were graded into a score ranging from 0 to 20, the score was recorded at each visit, and the results were compared. Results The score of scarring acne decreased after TCA peeling and each dermasanding session. The improvement was statistically significant. The improvement continued after the last dermasanding session. After both procedures, no significant complications were recorded except persistent erythema and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which disappeared in all patients at 3-month follow-up visit. Conclusion Trichloroacetic acid superficial peel followed by manual dermasanding in separate sessions was effective and the improvement became more significant after repeated dermasanding sessions for the treatment of mild and moderate acne scars.