Synergistic Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Stromal Vascular Fraction in Atrophic Acne Scar Management: A Mechanistic and Clinical Pilot RCT.

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Background Atrophic acne scarring presents a significant therapeutic challenge with a profound psychosocial impact, and conventional treatments often yield suboptimal results. Autologous biologics, specifically stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have emerged as promising regenerative strategies to address this issue. Methods This single-center, pilot, randomized, assessor-blinded controlled trial included 60 patients with severe atrophic acne scars. Patients were randomized into four groups: subcision plus SVF (Group 1), subcision plus combined SVF and PRP (Group 2), subcision plus PRP (Group 3), and subcision alone (Group 4, control). Primary endpoints included clinical improvement documented by digital imaging and changes in qualitative grading scales from baseline to 12 months post-procedure. Additionally, flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the cellular composition and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) marker expression of the SVF preparations. Results Group 2 (subcision + SVF + PRP) demonstrated superior clinical efficacy, with 53.3% of patients achieving "Grade 3" (marked) physician satisfaction compared to 0% in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). This group also showed significantly greater improvement in scar size and color (p ≤ 0.001). Mechanistically, flow cytometry confirmed that Group 2 contained significantly higher expression of mesenchymal

Evidence level

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

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