Radiofrequency-assisted subcision combined with polycaprolactone-based dermal fillers in the management of atrophic facial acne scars: A pilot investigative study.

[OBJECTIVE] The scar's appearance and psychological burden are the most esthetically challenging issues in acne vulgaris. This study investigated the effectiveness and safety profile of combined radiofrequency-assisted subcision, which, even though effective on both Icepeak and Rolling subtypes, is only mildly effective on boxcar lesions, and polycaprolactone-based dermal filler with collagen stimulation potency in managing atrophic postacne scars.

[METHODS] Our quasi-experimental single-arm study, after the inclusion of 10 cases over the age of 18 with moderate to severe mixed atrophic facial acne scarring, was carried out in two 3-month separate sessions, during and after the intended intervention of which the experienced lesion improvements and also adverse events were documented. Moreover, all cases were followed for 3 months after the last session, evaluating the differences in the mentioned outcomes.

[RESULTS] We found the combined intervention to be highly effective in improving the intended outcomes, with the total number of acne lesions (p-value < 0.001), along with the total number of Ice peak (p-value = 0.002), Rolling (p-value < 0.001), and boxcar (p-value = 0.023) lesions demonstrating statistically significant changes.

[CONCLUSION] Radiofrequency-assisted subcision combined with polycaprolactone-based dermal fillers can be an effective intervention in managing postacne scars. However, we recommend that randomized clinical trials with larger sample sizes be carried out for a more precise conclusion.