Outcome of intralesional saline for the management of atrophic acne scars

Abstract

Objective To determine mean satisfaction score with intralesional saline for the management of atrophic acne scars.   Methods In this descriptive case series, 50 patients of age 16-50 years, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were enrolled. After local anesthesia with xylocain, the saline (0.9% NaCI) was injected intra and sub-dermally with a 31-gauge needle. The frequency of administration was once weekly for five weeks. Satisfaction level of patients was assessed on visual scale (VS).SPSS 20 was used for analyzing data.   Results Mean age of the patients was 26.8±6.0 year. Out of 50 patients, 30 (60%) were males while 20 (40%) were females. Mean duration of acne scar was 26.2±16.8 months. Types of scars were: ice pick 42 (84%), boxcar 39 (78%), and rolled scars 37 (74%). Mean VS at baseline was 6.92±1.49 and after treatment it was 10.1±1.37. This increase in VS was statistically significant (p<0.001).   Conclusion The response to intralesional saline was convincing in all types of atrophic acne scars. The study demonstrated that saline can be an effective and safe  therapeutic modality for all types of atrophic acne scars.   Key words Atrophic acne scars, intralesional saline, efficacy.