Minimally Invasive Post-Acne Scars Treatment with the Hybrid Filler HArmonyCa™.

Acne, a chronic inflammatory condition of the pilo-sebaceous unit, often results in scarring with significant aesthetic and psychological consequences for patients. While various treatments exist, including surgical and non-surgical approaches, a combined method has shown promise in effectively addressing acne scarring. Lipofilling, with its adipose-derived stem cells, has emerged as a promising technique for volume restoration and collagen stimulation but may not be suitable for all patients, especially those who prefer non-surgical treatments. Recently, a novel approach involving simultaneous injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) and calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHa) has been introduced in the literature, showing lifting properties, improving dermal thickness and skin texture, and inducing neocollagenesis. HArmonyCa™ (Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company) is a hybrid filler combining HA (20 mg/mL) and CaHa 55.7% (microspheres 25-45 µm) with 0.3% lidocaine in a 1.25-ml syringe. It has demonstrated volumizing, lifting, and skin-tightening effects, along with increased fullness, elasticity, and turgor of the skin. It has also shown an increase in viscoelasticity, suggesting new collagen formation, making it suitable for treating conditions like solar elastosis. Compared to lipofilling, HArmonyCa™ offers a non-surgical alternative with comparable outcomes and patient satisfaction. These findings have led us to employ this hybrid filler for the treatment of post-acne scarring. We present a case of a 35-year-old woman with post-acne scarring, treated with HArmonyCa™ combined with Volite™ injections, CO2 laser resurfacing, and chemical peels. Significant improvement in skin texture, reduction of shadowing effect, and restoration of tissue elasticity were observed, resulting in high patient satisfaction. While HArmonyCa™ presents a promising solution for post-acne scarring, further research is needed to comprehensively evaluate its efficacy and suitability. This study contributes to the growing body of literature exploring the potential applications of hybrid fillers, particularly in addressing post-acne scarring.Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Microneedling with topical vitamin C versus microneedling with topical insulin in the treatment of atrophic post-acne scars: A split-face study.

Post acne scars following sebaceous injury and abnormal wound healing during the course of acne is a prevalent and challenging to treat condition To evaluate microneedling by dermapen with topical vitamin C versus microneedling with topical insulin in treating atrophic post-acne scars. A split-face comparative study included 30 subjects with atrophic post-acne scars. Human insulin was topically applied to the left side of the face and on the right side, vitamin C serum was applied. Scars were assessed via the Acne Scar Assessment Scale (ASAS) and Scar quartile grading scale (SQGS). After 1 month of 4 treatments, a statistically significant mean improvement in ASAS value was reported on both split sides of the face (2.13 and 1.83) compared to baseline (3.03 and 2.93) (p = 0.005; p = 0.001 respectively). When compared to baseline, the mean ASAS value improved significantly with a slight more improvement on the vitamin c treated side. Topical insulin and vitamin c combined with microneedling, may both achieve comparable significant improvement for treating post acne scars. Insulin can be a promising novel anti-scarring therapy pending larger controlled studies to verify its efficacy.

[Scientometric analysis of evidence-based studies of physical methods of post-acne scar correction]. / Naukometricheskii analiz dokazatel'nykh issledovanii fizicheskikh metodov korrektsii rubtsov postakne.

The scope of physical methods for correcting the pathological skin scars is rapidly growing but the results of their use are often unsatisfactory. An inadequate approach to therapy without taking into account the assessment of their effectiveness leads to relapses, increased growth of scar tissue or the absence of a clinically significant effect which requires strict scientific evidence in the course of benign scientific studies. OBJECTIVE: Scientometric analysis of evidence-based studies on the use of therapeutic physical factors in the correction of post-acne scars. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analysis of evidence-based studies in electronic databases (PEDro, PubMed, eLibrary) and in databases of systematic reviews (Cochrane database) for the period from 2015 to 2020 was carried out. The following terms in Russian and English were taken as key words: acne scars (acne scarring), physical therapy (physical therapy). The final assessment of physical methods of correction included mainly data from foreign systematic reviews, meta-analyzes of RCTs, data from individual RCTs in English and/or Russian and tests rated at 4 points or higher on the PEDro scale. RESULTS: The clinical effects and supposed mechanisms of action of the currently proven therapeutic physical factors in the treatment of patients with post-acne scars are considered in detail. The most studied physical methods are technologies of high-intensity laser therapy (44.2%), fractional radiofrequency therapy (17%), combined methods of exposure (high-intensity laser therapy or micro-needling in combination with peels, fillers, PRP injection) (25%), micro-needling as monotherapy (5.8%) and microdermabrasion (4.5%) causing the most significant clinical changes and pronounced remodeling of the extracellular matrix of the skin in the area of scars. CONCLUSION: There is a need for regular synthesis and analysis of existing evidence-based studies, as well as the implementation of new high-quality randomized controlled clinical trials to study the effect of physical correction methods on post-acne scars which serve as the basis for the development of clinical guidelines.

Fractional carbon dioxide laser-assisted delivery of lyophilized-growth factors is a promising treatment modality of post-acne scars.

Lyophilized-growth factors (L-GFs), is a new platelet rich plasma (PRP) preparation that is standardized in growth factors concentrations. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy of ablative fractional CO2 laser in combination with L-GFs vs PRP in post-acne scars. This study was conducted on 45 patients presented with facial post-acne scars. Each patient received three sessions of fractional CO2 laser on both sides of the face followed by topical application of L-GFs on one side and conventional PRP on the other side. Assessment was done before and after treatment semiquantitatively by Echella d'Èvaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acné (ECCA) score and qualitatively by Goodman and Baron's qualitative scar (GBQS) scale, in addition to dermoscopic evaluation. The current study reported significant clinical improvement of post-acne scars on both sides of the face evidenced by significant reduction of both ECCA score and GBQS scale with minimal side effects. The degree of clinical improvement and patients' satisfaction were significantly higher with shorter downtime in response to fractional CO2 laser combined with L-GFs rather than its combination with PRP. In conclusion, laser assisted delivery of L-GFs via fractional CO2 laser could be considered a novel successful therapeutic modality for post-acne scars.

Microbotox (Mesobotox) versus microneedling as a new therapeutic modality in the treatment of atrophic post-acne scars.

BACKGROUND: Given that most patients with moderate to severe acne develop post-acne scars, many treatment modalities can be used to ameliorate scaring; chemical peels, surgical excision, dermabrasion, fat transfer, autologous collagen, punch grafting, diverse filler injection, and lasers. Microneedling is one of the promising modalities based on the breaking of dermis-damaged collagen and enhancing new collagen formation. Microbotox (Mesobotox) injection may have a beneficial effect by causing muscular paralysis with subsequent dermal edema due to transient and mild lymphatic insufficiency. The comparison between these two modalities has not been yet assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of both methods (Microbotox and microneedling) in the treatment of atrophic post-acne scars. METHODS: Between May 2021 to April 2022, patients with atrophic post-acne scars were selected from the out-patients clinics of the Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine. The face was divided into two sides: the right side was treated with Mesobotox for three sessions once monthly and followed up 3 months later after the last session and the left side was treated with dermapen (microneedling) for six sessions every 2 weeks and followed up 3 months after the last session. The feasibility, safety, and efficacy of both lines of treatment were studied. RESULTS: This study included 20 patients with atrophic post-acne scars. They were 13 females (65%) and 7 males (35%), and their ages ranged between 15 and 35 years with a mean ± sd age of 24.40 ± 5.90 based on the significant improvement between S1 (baseline acne scar score) and both S2 (acne scar score at end of treatment) and S3 (acne scar score 3 months after the last session). Microneedling showed also similar results to Mesobotox. CONCLUSIONS: Microbotox and microneedling were effective and tolerated.

Study of interleukin-1 beta expression in acne vulgaris and acne scars.

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a multifactorial disease that mostly heals by scarring. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) is a proinflammatory cytokine, suggested to play a key role in acne pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To study the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of IL1ß in acne vulgaris and acne scars to evaluate its possible role in their pathogenesis and to study the relation between the expression of IL1ß and the clinicopathological parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on sixty subjects (twenty patients with acne vulgaris and twenty patients with acne scars), and twenty healthy volunteers as controls. Skin biopsies were taken from patients and controls for routine histopathological examination with hematoxylin and eosin stain and IHC staining of IL-1ß. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant increase in expression of IL-1ß in acne vulgaris compared with post-acne scars and controls, (p < 0.001) for both. IL-1ß expression was significantly positively correlated with both clinical severity of acne vulgaris (p = 0.022) and severity of histopathological inflammation (p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Interleukin-1ß expression was associated with acne vulgaris and post-acne scars with significant positive correlation to clinical and histopathological severity of acne vulgaris. Thus, IL-1ß could be a key player cytokine in acne pathogenesis, its severity and development of post-acne scars.

Clinical and Histopathological evaluation of different tools for the Subcision of Atrophic Acne Scars.

BACKGROUND: Acne scarring can lead to social and psychological distress. OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety, efficacy, and long-term improvement of subcision using tri-beveled hypodermic (Th) needle versus cannula for the treatment of atrophic post-acne scars. METHODS: Forty-six patients with atrophic post-acne scars were treated with subcision using (Th) needle on one side of the face and a blunt cannula on the other side of the face for 6 sessions one month apart. The primary outcome was based on the clinical improvement and patient satisfaction score. Skin biopsies were taken at baseline and 3months after the final session. Follow-up was 9 months. RESULTS: Three months after the final session, a statistically highly significant difference was detected in both sides from the baseline (p < 0.001). The overall improvement was 73.9% on the (Th) needle side versus 65.2% on the cannula side (p = 0.68). There was no significant difference in acne severity scarring grade between both sides (p = 0.86). The mean number of sessions was significantly less in the (Th) needle side (p < 0.001). Collagen deposition and reorganization were achieved with both modalities. Patient satisfaction showed no significant difference between both sides. The side effects were mild and significantly higher in the (Th) needle side (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both modalities are effective and economic techniques. However, using a cannula is associated with much fewer side effects, more convenient for the patients and physicians compared to the (Th) needle.

A Morphological Study of Acne Scarring and Its Relationship between Severity and Treatment of Active Acne.

BACKGROUND: Scarring is one of the most dreadful complications of acne for which patients seek surgical treatment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to study the morphological features of acne scarring and the relationship between severity of acne and its treatment with type and severity of acne scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a hospital-based, noninterventional, cross-sectional study carried out over a period of 1 month on 100 patients with post-acne scarring. A morphological evaluation of the types, sites, and severity of acne scars was done, and details of the severity and treatment of acne were recorded. RESULTS: Of 100 patients included in the study, 61 were male and 39 were females. Females had an earlier onset of acne (15.8 years) as compared to males (16.5 years). The mean duration of active acne was longer in males (99.3 months) than that in females (74.4 months). Male patients had more severe acne vulgaris as compared to females (P = 0.0001). Of 100 patients, 52 started treatment 1 year after the onset of acne, and 18 patients had never taken any anti-acne medication. Morphologically, majority of post-acne scars were ice pick scars in 94% patients, followed by rolling scars in 86%, boxcar scars in 54%, and keloidal scars in 10% patients. Male patients had more severe acne scarring than females (P < 0.05). Of 54 patients with severe acne, 22 progressed to moderate grade and 32 patients progressed to severe grade of acne scarring. Significant reduction in the severity of acne scarring was observed in patients who received isotretinoin as compared to that in patients who received oral antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Majority of patients with active acne delay treatment, which leads to increased acne scarring. Ice pick scars are the most common type of acne scars, and keloidal scars are more common in males. Males have a longer duration of acne, they delay treatment, and have more severe acne scarring. Early introduction of oral isotretinoin may help to reduce the severity of acne scarring. Public education is essential to urge patients to seek early and appropriate treatment of acne that can reduce the incidence and severity of acne scarring and its psychosocial consequences.

The Impact of Post-Acne Scars on the Quality of Life Among Young Adults in Singapore.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Post-acne scarring is a common and well-known sequelae of acne vulgaris. We aim to study the impact of post-acne scarring on the quality of life (QOL) among young adults in Singapore. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a non-interventional prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged 21-40 years with atrophic and hypertrophic acne scars who attended the National Skin Centre, Singapore were recruited in the study. They answered a simple questionnaire and the clinical severity of their acne scars were assessed by the doctor. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive analyses using absolute and percentage frequencies were performed on all data. The test of significance was two-sided and was set at 5% (P ≤ 0.05). Differential analyses were conducted using the parametric, independent two-sample t-test and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. The statistical assessments were performed using SPSS version 18.0. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were studied. The mean patients' subjective self-scoring on the severity of their post-acne scars was 5.78/10 and the mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) for post-acne scars was 5.61. Many (36%, n = 36) were self-conscious of their acne scars and 24%, (n = 24) felt that their acne scars was affecting their social activities. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that post-acne scars have a significant negative effect on the QOL of young adults. It highlights the need to increase public awareness of acne vulgaris and its sequelae through education programs and advocating early treatment to reduce the risk of scarring.

Split Face Comparative Study of Microneedling with PRP Versus Microneedling with Vitamin C in Treating Atrophic Post Acne Scars.

INTRODUCTION: Acne scars are largely preventable complications of acne. 95% of the scars occur over the face thus impacting the quality of life. Correction of scars is the priority for acne patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with post acne atrophic facial scars attending the OPD during the period from April to October 2013 were offered four sittings of microneedling with PRP on one side and microneedling with vitamin C on other side of the face at an interval of 1 month. RESULTS: Twenty-seven out of the total 30 patients completed the treatment schedule. Two patients were lost to follow up and one dropped out of the study due to severe PIH. Mean age of the patients was 27.5 years. Out of 30 patients, 23 achieved reduction in scarring by one or two grades. Excellent response was seen in five (18.5%) patients with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as compared to two (7%) patients who received treatment with vitamin C according to physician's assessment. As far as up gradation by 1 score is considered, i.e., good response, it was similar in both cases. Vitamin C did not prove to be as efficacious as PRP since 10 (37%) patients had poor response in vitamin C-treated area compared to only 6 (22.2%) patients who underwent PRP therapy, but vitamin C proved to be efficacious in dealing with post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation secondary to acne. Patients were more satisfied with PRP as compared to vitamin C. The results were evaluated and statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16.0.2. CONCLUSIONS: Overall results were better with microneedling and PRP. Vitamin C combined with microneedling also showed improvement with respect to firmness and smoothness of skin; as well as post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. Microneedling combined with PRP proved to be good in treating boxcar and rolling scars but had limited efficacy in dealing with ice pick scars.