Aim and objectives
Evaluation of the cumulative effect of Radiofrequency Microneedling and fractional Erbium: Glass 1565 laser in moderate to severe acne scars in skin of color.
Material and Methods
This retrospective study was conducted on 20 patients of skin types III –V having moderate to severe atrophic acne scars. The study was carried out over 1 year from March 2019 to March 2020.
Procedure
All patients underwent 4 sessions of non‐ablative Fractional Erbium: Glass 1565 laser to alternate with 4 sessions of Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling once a month over 8 months.
Results
Of the 20 patients enrolled, 18 completed treatment protocol. Two patients were withdrawn from the study because they were unable to attend follow‐up treatment sessions. The subjective evaluation was performed using photographs at baseline, 8 months, and 12 months. A photographic evaluation was performed using the following numeric responses: <25%, 25–50%, 51–75%, and 76–100% difference in severity. None of the patients had worsening of their scars. The improvement in scars was statistically significant.
Conclusion
The combination of Fractional Erbium: Glass 1565 laser and Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling can be used in the treatment of acne scars in skin of color. Our protocols helped achieve significant improvement of scars.