LAUSR

BACKGROUND Acne scars are the most common sequelae of the severe inflammatory process of acne and its managing is a challenge. Objective of this study was to assess safety and effectiveness of calcium hydroxylapatite monotherapy and its association with high intensity microfocused ultrasound for treating moderate-to-severe atrophic acne scars. METHODS Women with moderate to severe atrophic scars of the face were enrolled on the study. Assessments were made by digital macro-photographs, Vectra H2, Antera 3D. RESULTS From October to December 2019, twenty women which fitted the inclusion criteria signed a consent form and received 3.0 ml of calcium hydroxylapatite and after 4 weeks, 400 lines of HIFU. No major side effects were reported during the study and all patients completed the follow-up after 6 months. At 1 month, patients treated with calcium hydroxylapatite (group 1) improved wrinkles and skin texture compared to placebo (group 2). At 3 and 6 months, all patients improved acne scars. CONCLUSION Our study showed that that both calcium hydroxylapatite and HIFU in monotherapy were safe and effective treatments for atrophic scar acne. Calcium hydroxylapatite was clinically effective when compared with placebo, though the combination of calcium hydroxylapatite and HIFU did not enhance the clinical efficacy compared to monotherapy.