Treatment of acne scars using the plasma skin regeneration (PSR) system

Abstract

Background and Objectives Acne scarring is a common and difficult to treat condition. The plasma skin regeneration (PSR) system is a novel device that causes delayed ablation of the epidermis and controlled thermal modification to the underlying dermis. PSR has previously been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for facial rhytides and benign skin lesions. In this study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of single‐treatment, high‐energy, double‐pass PSR for the treatment of acne scarring. Study Design/Materials and Methods Ten patients with acne scarring and Fitzpatrick skin types I–III were included in the study. All patients underwent a single PSR treatment with two high‐energy passes (3.5–4.0 J). Treatments were performed in an outpatient clinic setting. Nine patients completed 6 months of follow‐up. Improvement was determined by patient questionnaires and physician evaluation of digital photographs taken prior to treatment and at 3 and 6 months post‐treatment. Results On average, patients reported 34% improvement in their acne scarring at 3 months and 33% improvement at 6 months. Blinded physician ratings of patient photos demonstrated 19% improvement at 3 months and 34% at 6 months. Re‐epithelialization was complete by 4–6 days after treatment, and no serious adverse events were encountered. Conclusion PSR appears to provide a safe and effective single treatment, minimal downtime alternative for the treatment of acne scarring. Additional studies are warranted to further demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this device. Lesers Surg. Med. 40:124–127, 2008.