Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Tretinoin in Treatment of Striae Distensae: A Comparative Study

The study conducted by Gamil, Hend D. MD; Ibrahim, Samia A. MD; Ebrahim, Howyda M. MD; Albalat, Waleed MD in 2018 compared the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections and topical tretinoin 0.05% in treating Striae Distensae (SD), a type of dermal scar. The study involved 30 patients (27 females and 3 males) with bilateral SD. Each patient had half of their selected striae treated with PRP injections and the other half with topical tretinoin. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in SD treated with both PRP and topical tretinoin cream, but the improvement was more significant in the SD treated with PRP injections (p = .015). Patient satisfaction also indicated a greater improvement on the PRP-treated side (p = .003). Both treatments were found to be safe and increased collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis, but PRP was more effective and provided a better therapeutic response than tretinoin.