TY - JOUR
T1 - Fractional Radiofrequency and Oral Isotretinoin—A Prospective Randomized Controlled Split-Face Trial Comparing Concurrent Versus Delayed Fractional Radiofrequency Treatment for Acne Scars
AU - Gallo, Elisa S.
AU - Katz, Uriel
AU - Artzi, Ofir
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Lasers in Surgery and Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Background: Therapeutic dogma has been to treat acne scars no less than 6 months after isotretinoin (ITN) cessation. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fractional radiofrequency (FRF) in patients treated concurrently with ITN. Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized control 3-arm comparative trial to evaluate the treatment of acne scars. Patients received one of three treatment options: (A) ITN and FRF concurrent treatment, (B) ITN monotherapy, and (C) FRF 6 months post-ITN treatment. Patients in the FRF cohorts received three monthly sessions. Patients were followed for adverse effects up to 6–9 months post-FRF treatment. Final cosmesis was scored by three independent dermatologists using two scales: the Echelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA) and an internal 5-point investigator's scale, indicating the percentage of improvement. Subjective analyses by patients were also assessed. Results: Objective and subjective analyses revealed improvement in the ITN-FRF cohort, which was superior to the delayed FRF cohort and the ITN monotherapy cohort. Specifically, the concurrently treated cohort (ITN-FRF) had a significant reduction in acne scar volume from baseline mean (151.1 ± 44.7 to 97.0 ± 31.2, p < 0.005), outperforming both the delayed FRF and monotherapy ITN treatment cohorts, respectively (155.4 ± 37.8 to 122.0 ± 46.2, 144.6 ± 82.8 to 132.4 ± 62.7). Additionally, the concurrently treated cohort demonstrated improved ECCA scores (36.8 ± 15.5), significantly better than the ITN monotherapy cohort (101.5 ± 20.1, p < 0.01). Limitations: Limited patient sample size: 38 patients completed the study; mostly Fitzpatrick Type II–III skin; photographic assessments utilized. Conclusion: Per our prospective trial, concurrent treatment of ITN-FRF is superior to delayed FRF treatment 6 months post-ITN cessation.
AB - Background: Therapeutic dogma has been to treat acne scars no less than 6 months after isotretinoin (ITN) cessation. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fractional radiofrequency (FRF) in patients treated concurrently with ITN. Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized control 3-arm comparative trial to evaluate the treatment of acne scars. Patients received one of three treatment options: (A) ITN and FRF concurrent treatment, (B) ITN monotherapy, and (C) FRF 6 months post-ITN treatment. Patients in the FRF cohorts received three monthly sessions. Patients were followed for adverse effects up to 6–9 months post-FRF treatment. Final cosmesis was scored by three independent dermatologists using two scales: the Echelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA) and an internal 5-point investigator's scale, indicating the percentage of improvement. Subjective analyses by patients were also assessed. Results: Objective and subjective analyses revealed improvement in the ITN-FRF cohort, which was superior to the delayed FRF cohort and the ITN monotherapy cohort. Specifically, the concurrently treated cohort (ITN-FRF) had a significant reduction in acne scar volume from baseline mean (151.1 ± 44.7 to 97.0 ± 31.2, p < 0.005), outperforming both the delayed FRF and monotherapy ITN treatment cohorts, respectively (155.4 ± 37.8 to 122.0 ± 46.2, 144.6 ± 82.8 to 132.4 ± 62.7). Additionally, the concurrently treated cohort demonstrated improved ECCA scores (36.8 ± 15.5), significantly better than the ITN monotherapy cohort (101.5 ± 20.1, p < 0.01). Limitations: Limited patient sample size: 38 patients completed the study; mostly Fitzpatrick Type II–III skin; photographic assessments utilized. Conclusion: Per our prospective trial, concurrent treatment of ITN-FRF is superior to delayed FRF treatment 6 months post-ITN cessation.
KW - acne
KW - acne scars
KW - acne therapeutics
KW - fractional radiofrequency
KW - isotretinoin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196267526&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/lsm.23811
DO - 10.1002/lsm.23811
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:85196267526
SN - 0196-8092
VL - 56
SP - 574
EP - 580
JO - Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
JF - Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
IS - 6
ER -