Treatment of Acne Scars With Hyaluronic Acid: An Improved Approach

July 2013 | Volume 12 | Issue 7 | Original Article | 121 | Copyright © July 2013


Shlomit Halachmi, MD PhD,a Dan Ben Amitai MD,b,d and Moshe Lapidoth MD MPHc,d

aHerzelia Skin and Laser Center, Herzelia Pituach, Israel bPediatric Dermatology Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Israel cLaser Unit, Department of Dermatology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel dSackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

resurfacing.12 Larger and deeper acne scars, of any class, may require a combination of surgical intervention (punch excision or punch elevation) and resurfacing.13-15 In more recent years, the approach to acne scars has been focused on non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches. Primary treatment is often provided by ablative or non-ablative laser resurfacing or fractional resurfacing, which have provided good results.16-20 Radiofrequency has also demonstrated efficacy in a number of studies, presumably by causing a mild degree of dermal contraction and by stimulating fibroblasts activity.21,22
An additional approach to treating discrete acne scars is the injection of dermal fillers. Prior reports have described the treatment of acne scars with injections, and showed good levels of efficacy and reasonable tolerability.23-27 A recently published study examined the treatment of acne scars with HA using a needle-less pneumatic device, which distributes a dilute solution of HA over 1 cm2 per injection site.28 While this approach has merits, particularly in the treatment of large surfaces and in its induction of collagen by focal controlled dermal injury, the treatment of discrete scars is very easily amenable to standard injection without devices, and the use of a more concentrated HA gel provides immediate results.
Most of the side effects of non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA) are transient and mild and include pain and intermittent swelling, edema, and erythema at the injection site. Pain is more prominent with higher viscosity and larger-bore needles, and as such Restylane Vital is a relatively less painful injection. The erythema is transient, and swelling can be reduced by application of ice for 5 to 10 minutes post-injection.

CONCLUSION

Given the high degree of tolerability, the proven safety record, the effectiveness in clinical improvement, and the known durability of NASHA, it is a highly preferred dermal filler for the correction of acne scars. When combined with the Restylane Vital formulation and the microdosage delivery technique, the approach is an excellent option for the treatment of discrete depressed acne scars. It is recommended that Restylane Vital injections be performed after a course of laser resurfacing procedures has been completed, both to avoid heating effects on the injected material (a topic that remains subject to debate) and to reduce the overall “burden” of acne scarring prior to initiating point-by-point injections.

DISCLOSURE

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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AUTHOR CORRESPONDENCE

Moshe Lapidoth MD MPHalapidot@netvision.net.il
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