Microneedling vs Dermabrasion for Early Facial Scar Resurfacing

This study aims to determine whether microneedling or dermabrasion in the early post-operative period is superior in improving the appearance of surgical scars on the face.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Scar
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Microneedling; Procedure: Dermabrasion

Detailed Description

Microneedling and dermabrasion are two common modalities that may be performed in-office to treat surgical scars.

Microneedling is a form of collagen induction therapy, often used in conjunction with platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid.

Dermabrasion is a technique that improves the skin structure, quality, and appearance of scars through collagen remodeling and reepithelization.

To determine which modality is most effective, a prospective study; randomizing a volunteer sample of adult patients with new surgical vertical forehead scars will receive either dermabrasion or microneedling in the early postoperative period.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Candace M Waters, MD; Phone Number: 336-716-4000; Email: cmwaters@wakehealth.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Alexa l Lacy; Phone Number: 336-716-3850; Email: Alexa.Lacy@advocatehealth.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157
      • Recruiting
      • Wake Forest University Health Sciences
      • Contact: Candace M Waters, MD; Phone Number: 336-716-4000; Email: cmwaters@wakehealth.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Volunteer adult patients will be identified by visiting the Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
• Patients will be 18 years old+ and have a vertical surgical scar in the superior 1/3 of the face (trichion to glabella).
• Patients will enroll in the clinic research registry and indicate an interest in being involved in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who rate Types 4-6 on the Fitzpatrick scale will be excluded due to risk of poor outcome from dermabrasion.
• There are no other planned exclusion criteria. Patients will not be excluded on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, or age, provided that they meet the described inclusion criteria.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: microneedling; microneedling is a form of collagen induction therapy, often used in conjunction with platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid - Patients will receive two treatments, once at 6-8 weeks following facial surgery, and the second at 12-16 weeks following facial surgery	Procedure: Microneedling; a form of collagen induction therapy
Active Comparator: dermabrasion; dermabrasion is a technique that improves the skin structure, quality, and appearance of scars through collagen remodeling and reepithelization - Patients will receive the standard of care treatment 6-10 weeks following facial surgery	Procedure: Dermabrasion; a technique that improves the skin structure, quality, and appearance of scars through collagen remodeling and reepithelization

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Vancouver Scar Scale Scores	Four characteristics of the scar are assessed. These are: vascularity, height, pliability, and pigmentation. Each characteristic is given a score, which are added together to give an overall score between 0 and 13 - lower scores denoting normal skin	Month 7
Change in Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale Scores	Items and total scale scores for the patient and observer: Each item on both scales has a score of 1 to 10. The lowest score is 1 and corresponds to the normal skin situation. The total score of both scales can be calculated simply by adding the scores of each of the six items. The total score will range from 6 to 60 - lower scores denoting normal skin	Month 7
Change in Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale Scores	5-point scale wherein 2 = much improved (marked improvement in appearance), 1 = improved (improvement in appearance but a touch-up or re-treatment is indicated - lower scores denoting normal skin	Month 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient perceived benefit	At the time of intervention, patients will be asked to rank pain of procedure on a scale of 1-10 (1: minimal discomfort, 10: severe pain). At 6 months, they will also give a yes/no response as to whether they would undergo the study protocol (procedure) again.	At time of procedure (pain scale); at 6 months (yes/no)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Candace M Water, MD, Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 5, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 5, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): December 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Microneedling; Surgical scars; Dermabrasion
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Fibrosis; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Cicatrix; Therapeutics; Punctures; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Complementary Therapies; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Cosmetic Techniques; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; Percutaneous Collagen Induction; Dermabrasion
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00102716

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: photo documentation, de-identified, for review of scar appearance after treatment
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will become available after all data collection is complete in order to perform independent blinded analysis of scars at all time points.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Researchers on the study protocol involved in scar assessment

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No