Authors: Schmidt, Jolanta B..; Donath, Peter; Hannes, Johanna; Perl, Sylvia; Neumayer, Renate; Reiner, Angelika

Source: International Journal of Dermatology, Volume 38, Number 2, February 1999 , pp. 149-153(5)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Background Atrophic acne scars are a frequent problem after acne. Hitherto, mainly invasive treatment measures were possible. In a recent paper, we demonstrated the positive effects of iontophoresis with 0.025% tretinoin gel vs. estriol 0.03%.

Objective In this further study, the recording of the clinical effects of iontophoresis with 0.025% tretinoin gel in atrophic acne scars was supplemented by immunohistochemistry investigations of collagen I and III, proliferation markers, and the estimation of epidermal thickness.

Methods The treatment was performed twice weekly in 32 volunteer patients for a period of 3 months by application of the substance under a constant direct current of 3 mA for 20 min. Skin biopsies prior to and at the end of treatment were performed in 32 voluntary patients in order to investigate collagen I/III and proliferation markers by immunohistochemistry methods.

Results Clinically, at the end of treatment, in 94% of patients a significant decrease in the scar depth was observed. Neither epidermal thickness nor proliferation markers revealed a significant increase at the end of treatment. Furthermore, collagen I and collagen III showed no common trend, as expressed statistically by a lack of significance. In some cases, increases in collagen III became evident at the end of treatment.

Conclusions Tretinoin-iontophoresis is an effective, noninvasive treatment of atrophic acne scars without causing disturbing side-effects.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-4362.1999.00586.x

Affiliations: 1: From the Department of Dermatology, Division of Special and Environmental Dermatology and Institute of Clinical Pathology, University of Vienna Medical School,. Vienna,. Austria

Publication date: 1999-02-01

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