The principle of a three-staged operation in the surgery of acne scars.

BACKGROUND

Acne scars cannot be effectively corrected by a single treatment modality because of their widely varied depth and width.

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the effectiveness of staged combinations of several surgical modalities in the treatment of acne scars.

METHODS

Focal chemical peeling, carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, scar excision, punch grafting, and dermabrasion were used. Initially, focal chemical peeling was performed on all patients and then CO2 laser, scar excision, and punch grafts were used for deep scars. Finally, dermabrasion was done for the remaining scars.

RESULTS

Seventy-five percent of patients showed excellent or good results. The degree of improvement increased as the follow-up periods and number of focal chemical peeling procedures increased and as the 3-staged operation progressed.

CONCLUSION

A 3-staged operation is effective in the treatment of patients with various types of acne scars.