A Meta-Analysis of the Evidence for Assisted Therapy with Platelet-Rich Plasma for Atrophic Acne Scars

September 2019 in “ Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ”

Tyng Shiuan Hsieh, Wen Kuan Chiu, Ten Fang Yang, Hsian-Jenn Wang, Chiehfeng Chen

platelet-rich plasma PRP atrophic acne scars fractional carbon laser therapy microneedling erythema edema

From the encyclopedia

Platelet-Rich Plasma →

growth factors taken from your blood and injected into your scalp to stimulate hair

Microneedling →

technique to create small wounds in skin to activate collagen production and hair growth

Studysummary Platelet-rich plasma therapy helps improve atrophic acne scars.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The meta-analysis reviewed seven studies with a total of 249 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as an assisted therapy for atrophic acne scars. The studies involved treatments like fractional carbon laser therapy and microneedling in combination with PRP. Results showed a significantly higher improvement in the PRP group compared to the control group, with an odds ratio of 8.19 and a weighted mean difference in improvement score of 23.73, both with p-values less than 0.00001, despite substantial heterogeneity among the studies. Side effects such as erythema and edema were fewer in the PRP groups, but not to a statistically significant extent. The analysis concluded that PRP is a useful assisted therapy for atrophic acne scars, but further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.

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Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

research Meta-Analysis on Evidence of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia

29 citations , January 2018 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This meta-analysis reported that platelet-rich plasma injections for androgenetic alopecia may increase hair number and thickness locally, but further studies are needed to establish their overall effectiveness.

Combined Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma with Microneedling Versus Microneedling with Distilled Water in the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars: A Concurrent Split-Face Study

research Combined Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma with Microneedling Versus Microneedling with Distilled Water in the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars: A Concurrent Split-Face Study

106 citations , January 2016 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

This study found that adding platelet-rich plasma to microneedling improved outcomes for atrophic acne scars more than microneedling alone, according to both quantitative and qualitative assessments.