Clinical Outcomes and Patient-Centered Benefits of Fractional Microneedling Radiofrequency for Atrophic Acne Scars: A Retrospective Study
Divya Asnani, Shrishti Singh, Asharbh Raman, Priyanka Patil, Sandeep Gopalakrishnan, Aayush GuptaBACKGROUND
Atrophic acne scars exert a significant psychosocial burden, and management is particularly challenging in darker phototypes because of the heightened risk of pigmentary sequelae.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical efficacy, patient satisfaction, and quality-of-life outcomes after fractional microneedling radiofrequency (MNRF) for acne scars.
METHODS
The authors reviewed medical records of 55 patients (38 males, 17 females) treated with 4 sessions of fractional MNRF between January 2022 and December 2023. Acne scar severity was assessed using the Goodman and Baron quantitative grading scale. Improvement was evaluated by blinded dermatologists using a quartile improvement scale, whereas postprocedure pain and quality of life were assessed via visual analog scale (VAS) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), respectively.
RESULTS
Mean Goodman–Baron scores fell from 6.88 ± 0.49 to 2.32 ± 0.10 in men and from 5.43 ± 0.44 to 2.37 ± 0.17 in women (both
CONCLUSION
A 4-session course of fractional MNRF delivered meaningful scar remodeling and quality-of-life gains with minimal discomfort and downtime, supporting its use as a first-line option for atrophic acne scars in Fitzpatrick phototypes III–V.