Assessment of treatment efficacy and sebosuppressive effect of fractional radiofrequency microneedle on acne vulgaris 

Kyung Real Lee, Eo Gin Lee, Hee Jung Lee, Moon Soo Yoon

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, v.45 n.10 p.639~647, doi:10.1002/lsm.22200

ABSTRACT

Background and Objective
A minimally invasive fractional radiofrequency microneedle (FRM) device has been used in skin rejuvenation and acne scars, and a recent pilot study demonstrated the positive therapeutic effect on acne. We evaluated the efficacy of FRM device for acne vulgaris in Asians and conducted objective measurement to assess its effect on sebum production.
 

Patients and Methods
Twenty Korean patients with acne vulgaris received a single full-face FRM treatment. Outcome assessments included standardized photography, physician's global assessment, patient's satisfaction scores, acne lesion count, and objective measurements of casual sebum level (CSL) and sebum excretion rate (SER). They were evaluated at baseline and 2, 4, 8 weeks after the treatment.
 

Results
After a single FRM treatment, the CSL and the SER showed 30?60% and 70?80% reduction, respectively, at week 2 (P?<?0.01), and remained below the baseline level until week 8. Physician's global improvement scores for acne severity and acne lesion count also revealed clinical improvement with maximum efficacy at week 2, but returned to the baseline in most patients by week 8. Patients' satisfaction scores (0?4) were above 2 on average, and adverse effects were minimal.
 

Conclusion

This prospective study demonstrated the sebosuppressive effect from a single FRM treatment, but its therapeutic efficacy in acne requires further evaluation. Lasers Surg. Med. 45:639?647, 2013. 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

* Keyword: acne vulgaris, fractional radiofrequency microneedle, sebum excretion

- PMID: 24249246

- Fullext: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lsm.22200/abstract