title: Comparative Study of the Use of Trichloroacetic Acid and Phenolic Acid in the Treatment of Atrophic-Type Acne Scars.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many therapies involving varying degrees of complexity have been used to treat acne scars, but none is considered the gold standard treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A comparative evaluation of 88% phenol and 90% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) applied using the chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonrandomized, single-blinded self-controlled clinical trial was conducted among patients with ice pick-type and boxcar-type atrophic acne scars. Using 88% phenol on the left hemiface and 90% TCA on the right hemiface was adopted as the standard practice of the CROSS technique. The dermatological quality of life index (DLQI) questionnaire, acne scar grading scale Échelle d´Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA), and evaluation of improvement were performed pretreatment and post-treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding ECCA, significant differences were found in pretreatment and post-treatment (p < .001). Regarding tolerance to pain, it was found that the discomfort felt with 90% TCA was significantly less than that felt with 88% phenol (p = .020). Regarding the quality of life measured with the DLQI, the results showed that the mean score in post-treatment assessment was significantly lower than that in the pretreatment assessment (p < .05). Hypochromia and enlargement scar were only seen after the use of 90% TCA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirmed the efficacy of both TCA and phenol for treating such scars, with less severe complications from the use of phenol.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Dalpizzol
authors: Magda B
authors: MB
authors: Weber
authors: Anna Paula F
authors: AP
authors: Mattiazzi
authors: Ana Paula D
authors: AP
authors: Manzoni
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000150:complications*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D002424:Caustics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017496:Hypopigmentation / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid; C017616:phenolic acid