PMMA in collagen effective for clearing acne scars

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres in collagen are effective for treating atrophic acne scars, results of a recent study suggest.

Investigators from Suneva Medical gave 147 patients with at least four moderate-to-severe rolling atrophic acne scars either ArteFill (PMMA-collagen, Suneva) or saline injections. The patients received up to two treatment sessions and were followed up for six months, according to the study. Investigators determined efficacy with a validated rating scale for each scar.

Sixty-four percent of patients treated with ArteFill demonstrated success, compared to 33 percent of the control subjects (P=0.0005). There were no significant differences in safety or efficacy between genders, darker skin types or older age groups, researchers noted. Adverse events were generally mild and reversible.

“PMMA-collagen demonstrates substantial effectiveness in the treatment of atrophic acne scars of the face while maintaining an excellent safety profile,” study authors concluded. “Further follow-up should be undertaken to demonstrate longer-term benefit and safety.”

The Food and Drug Administration approved ArteFill in 2006 for the correction of nasolabial folds.

The findings were published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.