Microneedling vs. chemical reconstructon of skin scars with trichloroacetic acid: a comparative study

Abstract

Background: Acne scars are a cause of major psychological morbidity in the young population. Microneedling using dermarollers which uses the principle of percutaneous collagen induction and Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) using Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) are both widely used methods for the treatment of acne scars and are cheaper alternatives to LASER resurfacing. The aim of our study is to objectively compare the efficacy of microneedling using dermaroller with CROSS using 100% TCA in the management of acne scars.Methods: 30 patients with acne scars were divided into 2 groups A and B with 15 patients each. Group ‘A’ underwent microneedling using 1.5 mm dermaroller and Group ‘B’ underwent CROSS technique with 100% TCA. A total of 4 sessions at monthly intervals were performed on both groups. The percentage improvement in the acne scar grade between the two groups was compared using the student ‘t’ test.Results: Among the 30 patients, 13 (86%) patients in Group A (Microneedling) and 11 (78%) patients in group B (CROSS) noted significant reduction in their acne scar grade. The difference between the 2 groups was statistically insignificant. 3 patients had significant post inflammatory hyperpigmentation in group ‘B’.Conclusions: The techniques of microneedling and CROSS are both effective in acne scars But microneedling scores in other aspects such as faster wound healing, better skin rejuvenation and safety in dark skinned individuals.