Comparison of the efficacy of 70% glycolic acid and 30% trichloroacetic acid peel in the treatment of facial atrophic acne scar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66344/jpad.v36i3.3487Keywords:
Acne scars, Glycolic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, ; Chemical peels, Atrophic acne scars, Skin pigmentationAbstract
Background Acne scars are the outcome of acne vulgaris that may considerably influence the quality of life of a person. Treatment of these scars with chemical peels, especially those containing glycolic acid (GA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA), is common.
Objective To compare the efficacy of 70% glycolic acid (GA) and 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels in treating atrophic acne scars.
Methods A total of 60 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Patients were split into two groups: Group A (30% TCA) and Group B (70% GA). There were four chemical peel treatments that were conducted after every 4 weeks. The efficacy was measured in terms of scar appearance improvement using Goodman’s Qualitative Acne Scarring Grading System. The Chi-square test was applied to compare treatment efficacy between the TCA and glycolic acid groups. A P-value ≤.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results Statistically significant difference was observed in treatment response, where patients treated with 30% TCA showed higher improvement compared with those treated with 70% glycolic acid (66.7% vs. 46.7%, P=.038). The efficacy of treatment was significantly higher in the TCA group compared with the glycolic acid group. Overall improvement was achieved in 66.7% of patients receiving 30% TCA compared with 46.7% receiving 70% glycolic acid (P=.038).
Conclusion TCA is more effective than glycolic acid for treating deep atrophic acne scars, while glycolic acid remains a good option for mild scars, especially in individuals with darker skin types. Additional research work is required on bigger sample sizes and long-term results.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr.Munazza Anjum, Prof.Dr.Uzma Ahsan, Muhhammad Bin Ahsan
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