Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Acne scars are a common side effect of acne vulgaris that can negatively impact patients' quality of life and contribute to depression and anxiety. There is no definitive treatment for this condition. Ongoing research aims to discover better therapeutic options for acne scars. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of autologous fibroblast injections with and without platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for this condition. METHOD: In this split-face pilot study, eight patients with atrophic acne scars were injected with a PRP-fibroblast suspension on one side of their face, while the other side received only PRP as a control, in three biweekly sessions. Patients were assessed before treatment and 6 months later based on biometric indices, including skin ultrasound, hydration level, skin elasticity (R2, R5, and R7), the number of pores and spots, and the acne scar's volume, area, and depth. RESULTS: The median differences in skin thickness before and after follow-up were 32.57 on the treatment side and 5.33 on the control side. These changes were significantly greater on the treatment side (p-value: 0.018). Improvements in skin elasticity (p-value: 0.012), skin hydration level (p-value: 0.028), the number of fine pores (p-value: 0.043), and the volume and area of scars (p-value: 0.043) were significantly better with the combination therapy. While the number of large pores and spots also improved significantly, the extent of improvement was comparable to that observed with PRP alone. CONCLUSION: The PRP-fibroblast suspension may be considered a novel and effective therapeutic approach for atrophic acne scars.