“A Comparative Analysis of Microneedling and TCA CROSS For Management of Atrophic Acne Scars”

Abstract

Title -“A comparative analysis of microneedling and TCA CROSS for management of atrophic acne scars” Background: Acne is a disorder of pilosebaceous unit which can lead to scarring, commonly seen on face. It is emotionally and psychologically distressing to the patients. Both microneedling and TCA CROSS are commonly used office procedures to treat acne scars and both work on principle of collagen remodelling. While microneedling and TCA cross is widely being performed on Indian skin for various indications, there is a paucity of published literature comparing the safety and effectiveness of these two techniques specifically for acne scars in Indian patients. Objective: To compare the safety and effectiveness of microneedling and TCA CROSS (trichloroacetic acid chemical reconstruction of skin scars) in atrophic acne scar in Indian subjects. Materials and method: Fifty participants were randomly divided using closed envelope method in two equal groups of 25 patients each; group A underwent three sessions of microneedling (at 4 week interval) and group B underwent three sessions of TCA CROSS (at 4 week interval). Results: On quantitative assessment there was a constant per cent decrease in mean acne scar score (Goodman and baron) in both the groups but the decrease in group B was more as compared to group A. On qualitative assessment group B was found to be better than group A. However, subjective satisfaction in group A patients was more compared to group B. Conclusions: Microneedling and TCA CROSS were safe and effective in treatment of acne scars.