A Comparative Study of Dermaroller and Salicylic Acid Peel in Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars

Background: Acne scars cause significant distress to patient emotionally, as well as psychologically and are linked to depression, reduced social interactions, lower academic performance, and unemployment. Dermabrasion and lasers are costly, need proper setup, trained, skillful physician, and have significant downtime. Aim was to compare efficacy and adverse effects of minimally invasive and economic office procedures like skin needling with dermaroller, and salicylic acid peel (SA Peel), in treatment of atrophic acne scars. Method: A randomized, open label, comparative study of skin needling with dermaroller and salicylic acid 20% peel, was carried out on 70 patients of atrophic acne scars, at the Dermatology OPD of a general hospital, at Lucknow. Each subject was treated by skin needling with dermaroller or 20% SA peel. An evaluation of improvement of scars was carried out before and 6 months after treatment, using a four scale, Qualitative Global Acne Scarring Classification of Goodman CJ, et al. Data was analyzed using SPSS, Version 17.0. Results: In the Dermaroller group and SA Peel group, the response was ‘Excellent’ in 45.1% and 15.6%, ‘Good’ in 29% and 25%, and ‘Poor’ in 25.8 % and 59.3%, respectively. Adverse effects with dermaroller were edema in 25.8%, erythema in 19.3% and hyperpigmentation in 19.3%; with SA Peel, transitory erythema and hyperpigmentation were observed in 31.2% and 15.6%. Conclusion: Dermaroller is a superior modality of treatment than 20% Salicylic acid peel in terms of efficacy and patient satisfaction. It is a safe, efficacious and cost-effective office procedure.