Chemical peeling in combination with microneedling versus chemical peeling or microneedling monotherapy in…

ReviewPostepy dermatologii i alergologii· 2025

Chemical peeling in combination with microneedling versus chemical peeling or microneedling monotherapy in the treatment of acne scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Julia Woźna, Andrzej Bałoniak, Jan Stępka … Ryszard Żaba

Cosmetic & AestheticReviewQ2IF 1.6

Combining microneedling with chemical peeling far outperforms microneedling alone for acne scars.

Chemical peeling in combination with microneedling versus chemical peeling or microneedling monotherapy in the treatment of acne scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Julia Woźna … Ryszard Żaba

Postepy dermatologii i alergologii · 2025 · Q2 in Dermatology

Background

Acne scars are a common and often distressing consequence of acne vulgaris, leading many patients to pursue aesthetic treatments.

Purpose

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining microneedling with chemical peeling versus either treatment alone in the management of atrophic acne scars.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251082268).

n = 566

Results

combo therapy far more likely to succeed than microneedling alone

OR by subgroup · 95% CI

More results

Nine studies ( n = 566) met inclusion criteria; six were eligible for meta-analysis.

Responder rates ≥ 75% reached 40-50% with combination therapy versus ≤ 13% with monotherapy.

ECCA scores improved more with dual therapy.

More results

Patient-reported satisfaction and Dermatology Life Quality Index (Dermatology Life Quality Index) scores also favoured combination protocols.

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Conclusion

Combined microneedling and chemical peeling is superior to either treatment alone for atrophic acne scars, with favourable safety and patient-reported outcomes.

Chemical peeling in combination with microneedling versus chemical peeling or microneedling monotherapy in the treatment of acne scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chemical peeling in combination with microneedling versus chemical peeling or microneedling monotherapy in the treatment of acne scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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