Microneedling beats chemical peels for acne scar treatment

Medical Xpress / Rutgers University / J Clin Aesthet Dermatol ^ | August 19, 2022 | Fatima Ishfaq et al

[ConservativeMind]

Chemical peels are a common treatment for acne scars, but a Rutgers study finds that microneedling is significantly more effective for patients with dark skin.

Babar Rao, a professor of dermatology and pathology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and fellow researchers randomly assigned 60 patients with acne scars and dark skin—Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype IV to VI—to treatment with either 35 percent glycolic acid chemical peels or microneedling, both administered every two weeks for 12 weeks.

Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure involving tiny, sterilized needles that pierce the skin to stimulate collagen production and reduce scarring. Chemical peels involve applying a solution to the skin that removes the top layers.

Treatment produced an improvement of two points or more on the Goodman and Baron Scarring Grading System in 33 percent of patients who received chemical peels and 73 percent of patients who underwent microneedling.

"Based on the results of this study, patients whose darker skin precludes the use of stronger chemical peels, which can permanently discolor darker skin, should treat acne scars with microneedling," said Rao, the senior author of the study. "For patients with lighter skin who can use stronger peels without risk of discoloration, chemical peels might still be the best option for some."

[ConservativeMind]

I’ve seen consumer microneedling devices, but was skeptical.

Interesting.

[ConservativeMind]

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[NautiNurse]

Torture device

[consult]

There are two types. The “medical” vs. “cosmetic”
Per the FDA, the OTC “Cosmetic type” microneedling products that do not penetrate living skin (e.g., epidermal and dermal layers of the skin) and claim only to do the following would not be devices:
• facilitate exfoliation of the skin
• improvement in the appearance of skin
• give skin a smoother look and feel
• give skin a luminous look

[consult]

You need anesthesia (local numbing) before doing a medical type microneedling but not for cosmetic OTC ones.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

The best one I found is kind of ‘grey area’ legal and it’s called the Derminator 2. (And you must say that name in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accent)

I have one and it’s a great little thing and not cost-prohibitive. My wife is scared of it, but I use it all the time. They say that the rollers tear the skin and can cause some problems long term. I, personally always thought they risked being unsanitary, even if cleaned. The Derminator has disposable cartridges, which seems more sanitary to me.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

How many mm deep is the ‘medical’ type?

[UnwashedPeasant]

The study was on dark skin, defined as "Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype IV to VI."

The Fitzpatrick scale was initially developed on the basis of skin color, but later it was altered to be based on the patient's reports of how their skin responds to the sun.

The following list shows the six categories of the Fitzpatrick scale in relation to the 36 categories of the older von Luschan scale (in parenthesis):

• Type I (scores 0–6) always burns, never tans (palest; freckles)
• Type II (scores 7–13) usually burns, tans minimally (light colored but darker than fair)
• Type III (scores 14–20) sometimes mild burn, tans uniformly (golden honey or olive)
• Type IV (scores 21–27) burns minimally, always tans well (moderate brown)
• Type V (scores 28–34) very rarely burns, tans very easily (dark brown)
• Type VI (scores 35–36) never burns (deeply pigmented dark brown to darkest brown)

  

[Sirius Lee]

I’m Type 0. Irish Neanderthal Vampyr. Face and hands are tan. Neck and below burst into flames upon exposure to sun or alcohol deprivation.

[Nifster]

With my Scottish and Swedish blood I’m so pale it’s pathetic

I wear long sleeves all year to prevent burning

[catnipman]

a few minor modifications and of these should work just dandy:

[consult]

• Cosmetic rollers (0.2 and 0.3 mm)
• Medical rollers (0.5 - 3.0 mm)

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Interesting. Thanks. The Derminator 2 that I have goes from .5 to 2.5mm.