Background: Acne scarring affects most patients with acne and have a negative impact on quality of life. New effective treatment options offering minimal downtime are therefore needed.
Objective: To evaluate improvement in overall facial appearance after hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment of atrophic acne scars.
Methods: Twelve subjects with moderate-to-severe acne scars were treated at 3 sessions 4 weeks apart. At each session, up to 2-mL HA gel was injected into each side of the face. Acne scar severity, global facial aesthetic improvement, and subject satisfaction were assessed up to 36 weeks after treatment. Safety assessments included subject diaries and adverse events.
Results: The overall facial appearance and the appearance of atrophic acne scars improved after treatment. Scar severity and subject satisfaction with the overall facial appearance and with the sensation and perception of the skin improved in most subjects. Subjects' self-esteem and self-confidence also improved. Adverse events were typically mild to moderate, expected, and procedure-related.
Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid gel injections were effective and safe for treatment of moderate-to-severe atrophic acne scars. The treatment effect developed gradually over time with the highest improvement observed at the end of the study.