ABSTRACT Background: Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disease of the youth especially in puberty age. One of the most common complications of acne is scarring. It has been found to have a significant impact on their psychological well-being and has been associated with depression and suicide ideation. Acne causes emotional upset and impact to the patient by disfiguring face and scarring skin. Multiple surgical treatments are available for acne scars, which include dermabrasion, microdermabrasion (MDA), laser treatments, and dermal fillers. Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of MDA in facial acne scars in terms of results and patient satisfaction. Materials and Methods: A total number of 50 patients with acne scars, who visited the hospital outdoor patient department, were included in this study. All patients were treated with MDA for 10 sittings, 2 weeks apart. Analysis: Patients were evaluated and analyzed after 10 sittings or before (if the complete response occurred before 10 sittings), both objectively and subjectively (in term of patient satisfaction). Result and Conclusion: Of a total of 50 patients, 25 patients (50%) had moderate scarring and of these 21 (84%) showed good response, 3 (12%) showed fair response and 1 (4%) showed excellent response.

Indications:

1. Facial rejuvenation: Rough texture, dyschromia, actinic damage, superficial rhytides. 

2. Comedonal acne (non-inflammatory). 3. Superficial scar-acne, chicken pox, traumatic. 

4. Hyperpigmentation. 

5. Enlarged pores. 

6. Striae. 

7. Melasma.

Contraindications: 

1. Inflammatory acne-pustular, nodulocystic. 

2. Active bacterial or viral infections. 

3. Keloidal tendency. 

4. History of use of isotretinoin within last 1 year. 

5. Side-effects and complications

6. Erythema. 

7. Edema. 

8. Increased skin sensitivity. 

9. Drying. 

10.Infection. 

11. Gouging and Grooving. 

12. Abrasion. To reduce the side-effects proper post-operative precautions and care should be explained e.g. application of moisturizer and sunscreen should be advised. 

Advantages: 

1. No anesthesia is required. 

2. Safe during pregnancy and lactation. 

3. Less down time. 

4. Easy to perform, less time consuming and requiring no special surgical skills. 

5. Even patients with Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI, who may be at more risk of complications with other resurfacing techniques(carbon di oxide laser), may be treated with relative safety. 

Disadvantages:

1. Results not sustainable on long term basis. 

2. Repeated number of sittings are required. 

3. Not useful in deep acne scars.

References:

• The Best At Home Microdermabrasion Machines - HealthyBeautiful
• A Study of Efficacy of Microdermabrasion in Treatment of Facial Acne Scars - Original Research Swati Arora Associate Professor, SGRD Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Amritsar, Punjab, India