Microneedling was identified as a favorable and safe option for the treatment of acne scars

Advances ranging from laser and drug combination therapy to innovative devices mean acne sufferers no longer need to fear permanent scarring.

Acne is the most common condition treated by dermatologists worldwide. Although it has no risk of death, it carries a high psychological burden.Depression rates in patients with this skin disorder can be as high as 25 to 40 percent, compared with 6 to 8 percent in the general population.

Acne scarring significantly adds to this burden, as it severely impairs quality of life.It is directly related to low academic performance and unemployment.More severe scarring can lead to greater social disruption. Post-acne scarring not only increases the incidence of depression, but also anxiety and even suicide.

This trend is even more important in view of the breadth of the issue.Studies estimate that some degree of facial scarring occurs in 95% of cases. Fortunately, innovations in acne scar repair may change the future for these patients.

Some acne scars are more difficult to treat than others and require proper treatment options and strict enforcement.Generally, physicians looking for solutions start with energy-based and non-energy-based therapies.

Given the different manifestations of acne scars, it is critical for dermatology providers to have expertise in both non-energetic and energetic modalities to ensure they can clearly explain the pros and cons of each to their patients.Before counseling a patient on the best approach, it is important to determine which option is best for the individual based on the presentation of acne and scar types, while also considering other issues such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, keloids, lifestyle Factors such as sun exposure, and differences in aging skin.

Microneedling, known as percutaneous collagen induction therapy, is another non-energetic therapy widely used in dermatology, not only for acne scars, but also for wrinkles and melasma.This technique stimulates regeneration by creating multiple tiny needle-sized holes in the skin, usually performed using a standard medical skin roller. As a monotherapy, microneedling has been shown to be most effective for rolling scars, followed by boxcar scars, and then ice pick scars.It may facilitate the transdermal delivery of topical drugs, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which increases its versatility.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of microneedling monotherapy for acne scars.Twelve studies including 414 patients were analyzed.The authors found that microneedling without radiofrequency had the best results in improving scarring.No form of microneedling causes post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, an advantage for people with pigmented skin when treating acne scars.Based on the results of this special review, microneedling was identified as a favorable and safe option for the treatment of acne scars.

Although microneedling achieved good effect, its needle rolling effect has led to a decrease in patient comfort . After microneedling combined with RF technology, when the microneedlings reach a predetermined depth,selectively delivering energy to the dermis, while avoiding excessive energy affecting the epidermal layer. The difference in electrical impedance between the epidermis (high electrical impedance) and the dermis (low electrical impedance) increase RF selectivity— enhancing RF current through the dermis, so using microneedling in combination with RF technology can greatly increase clinical efficacy and patient comfort. With the assistance of microneedling, the RF output reaches the full layer of the skin, and within the range of effective coagulation of the RF, it can minimize bleeding or even avoid bleeding completely, and the energy of the microneedling RF can be evenly transmitted to the deep layers of the skin, stimulating the synthesis of collagen and elastin, so as to achieve the effect of skin rejuvenation and tightening.