An abstract posted by the National Institute of Healths helps substantiate the effectiveness of microneedling and platelet rich plasma in the treatment of acne scars.
How to best treat acne scars has confounded the medical community for as long as patients have suffered from them. It would be a dream come true if we, as physicians, had a magic bullet that indeed completely smoothed the skin of those who so desperately want to look “normal”. We aren’t there yet, but newer treatment methods have certainly helped us help those who hope for skin they are not ashamed of.
Acne scars used to be treated with dermabrasion. Much different from microdermabrasion, dermabrasion was practically horrific. With dermabrasion, a rotary steel brush was used to remove skin. The treatment was as unpleasant as your imagination can conjure!
The patient experienced significant pain, difficult recovery, high infection risk, slow healing and limited improvement…all combined with the psychological impact of seeing yourself bloody and scabbed. It was hardly something for the faint hearted.
Lasers took the place of dermabrasion, but full surface lasers created much of the same misery. The advent of micro lasers such as Fraxel and the fractional CO2 lasers offered a much kinder path to smoothing acne scars and are now often embraced as the current “gold standard” treatment of choice.
But lasers are not appropriate for all patients or affordable for all those who want treatment.
The inclusion of microneedling into U.S practices is relatively new. We’re a tech-loving society and the simplicity of needles was, to some degree, not given appropriate consideration…UNTIL the development of automated needling. Given that physicians began to see that microneedling actually improved skin through a collagen response, the next logical step was how to improve on those improvements.
The introduction of PRP for aesthetic use followed the proven use of PRP for joint injury. Platelets derived from your own blood improved injury recovery in a substantial way. Dermatologic surgeons surmised, correctly, that PRP injected or diffused into the skin would act in a similar way and help improve collagen manufacture – which in turn helps smooth acne scars.
The tolerance factor and the proven effectiveness combined with an increased affordability factor make Microneedling PRP a viable treatment option for many.
Wall Street Journal Can Micro-Needling Improve the Appearance of Wrinkles and Acne Scars?
When it comes to your skin and your health, it really is all about what’s best for you. Total Dermatology understands this, which is why we offer versatile treatments with experienced and highly trained aesthetic professionals led by Dr. Nissan Pilest. Your Total Dermatology transformation awaits.
