MedWire News: A combined subcision-suction technique is well tolerated and effective for improving acne and other depressed scars, report researchers.
“Subcision releases scar surfaces from underlying attachments and induces connective tissue formation beneath the scar directly, without injury to the skin surface,” explain Vahide Lajevardi (Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran) and team.
“Therefore, subcision is a valuable method, but due to high recurrence rate, its efficacy is mild to moderate,” they say.
The addition of repeated suction sessions to the subcision technique is thought to increase overall efficacy. Lajevardi et al therefore recruited 58 patients with mild to severe acne, chicken pox, and traumatic and surgical depressed scars to test the efficacy of the combined technique.
The patients underwent superficial dermal undermining, mostly with 23-guage needles. Suction was started on the third day after subcision and was continued at least every other day for 2 weeks.
As reported in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, the 46 patients who followed the protocol completely had a mean 71.73% (60–90%) reduction in the depth and size of scars following treatment. Of these, 28.2% had an ‘excellent improvement’ of 80% or more.
Twelve patients who started suction sessions late and/or had a long gap between suction sessions had a moderate improvement of 43.75% on average (30–60%).
“We introduce subcision-suction method as a highly effective method for treatment of various types of acne scars and other depressed scars of the face,” write the authors.
“It seems that this method has the potential to be used as the first step for acne and other depressed scars management.”
They conclude: “Undoubtedly, development of this method requires further trials by interested colleagues to solve such a prevalent cosmetic problem from which many people suffer.”
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