Patient perception, satisfaction and cosmetic results of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of acne scars: a patient-reported outcome of a non-surgical management

Background: Acne is a common skin condition of the pilosebaceous unit that is prevalent up to 80% of the adolescent population. Permanent, disfiguring scar is an unfortunate complication due to abnormal resolution following the damage during acne inflammation. Those troubling noticeable scars may lead to not only cosmetic problems but also psychological and social consequences which could impair the quality of life including diminished self-esteem and disruption of daily activities. We aimed to discuss our results of PRP procedure in the treatment of acne scars using scales based on patient satisfaction, perception and the quality of life. Methods: This study included 11 patients suffering from post-acne scars who underwent 3 sessions of platelet-rich plasma injection. The outcome was determined by the difference in pre- and post- procedure FACE-Q modules, dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and body image questionnaire (BIQ) which were designed as patient-reported outcome instrument to evaluate the unique outcomes of patients undergoing facial cosmetic procedures. Results: Overall satisfaction with outcome was 77.18±8.30 (range 63–87). No major complications such as hyper-/hypopigmentation, scar formation, infections, skin necrosis, nodulation, fibrosis, or calcification were recorded. All patients developed ecchymosis and edema in the treated area and all were improved during follow-up. The patient-reported FACE-Q satisfaction, FACE-Q quality of life, DQLI and BIQ scores of pre- and post- procedure showed statistically significant improvement (<0.05). Conclusions: PRP can increase the quality of life in patients with acne scars in terms of social and psychological function without large damage to the skin.