Dermaroller Versus Platelet-Rich Plasma in Acne Scars. A Prospective Split Face Study

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a common dermatological condition which often leads to scars. The treatment of acne scars typically involves a multi-faceted approach, with microneedling and PRP therapy emerging as effective options for atrophic scars. While several studies have compared the effects of microneedling alone versus microneedling combined with PRP, there is a lack of direct comparison between the individual efficacy of microneedling and PRP. This study aimed to address that gap. Objectives: To compare the efficacy of dermaroller versus PRP therapy in the same patient with acne scars. Materials and methods: A total of 25 patients were included in the study. Goodman and Baron quantitative acne scar grading system was employed for classification. Patients were treated with dermaroller on right side of face and intradermal PRP injections on left side of face. Response was assessed at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months using a visual analog score (VAS). Results: The mean (SD) age of the study participants was 29.8 (5.2) years. Out of 25 patients, 52% (n=13) were males and 48% (n=12) were females. At the end of 4 sessions of microneedling on right cheek, 92% (n=23) had fair response and 8% (n=2) had poor response, whereas on left cheek, 80% (n=20) had good response and 20% (n=5) had excellent response post PRP and this difference was significantly different (p <0.001). Conclusion: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) yields superior outcomes compared to microneedling in improving atrophic acne scars.Top of Form Keywords: Acne scars, Platelet rich plasma, Microneedling