Treatment of Acne Scars Using Subdermal Minimal Surgery Technology

BACKGROUND Acne is a common condition, seen in up to 80% of people aged 11 to 30. In some patients, it can result in permanent scars that are surprisingly difficult to treat, with current treatments for acne scars having limited efficacy. Recently, subdermal minimal surgery technology has been introduced as a novel therapeutic modality for acne scars. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of subdermal minimal surgery technology for treating acne scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten Korean patients (Fitzpatrick skin type II-V) with acne scars were enrolled in this study. They received three sessions of subdermal minimal surgery technology at 4-week intervals. The treatment parameters were a one-shot 0.15-mL volume of hyaluronic acid (HA) and 70% pressure power with a 10- x 10-mm square-shaped tip. Two independent dermatologists evaluated clinical improvement using a quartile grading scale by comparing digital photographs taken before treatment (baseline) and 3 months after the last treatment. The patients also evaluated any side effects at each visit. At the end of the study, the patients documented pain severity (none, mild, moderate, or severe) during the procedure and degree of satisfaction (worse, no change, mild, moderate, or strong improvement). RESULTS All volunteers completed the three treatment sessions and were satisfied with the procedure. Three months after the last treatment session, according to the physicians' assessments, two patients had improvement of greater than 75% in acne scars, six had 50% to 75% improvement, and two had 25% to 50% improvement. Patient degree of satisfaction was similar to the physicians' assessment. There were no side effects except transient spot bleeding at entry points and slight edema that resolved within 48 hours. CONCLUSION Subdermal minimal surgery technology is an effective and safe method for improving acne scars. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.