Recruiting

Microneedling vs. Dermabrasion

Sponsor:

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Code:

NCT06171386

Conditions

Scar

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Microneedling

Dermabrasion

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study aims to determine whether microneedling or dermabrasion in the early post-operative period is superior in improving the appearance of surgical scars on the face.

Conditions

Scar

Study ID

NCT06171386

Start date

Apr 1, 2024

Status verified date

Dec, 2025

Completion date

Apr, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Apr, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Volunteer adult patients will be identified by visiting the Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
  • Patients will be 18 years old+ and have a vertical surgical scar in the superior 1/3 of the face (trichion to glabella).
  • Patients will enroll in the clinic research registry and indicate an interest in being involved in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who rate Types 4-6 on the Fitzpatrick scale will be excluded due to risk of poor outcome from dermabrasion.
  • There are no other planned exclusion criteria. Patients will not be excluded on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, or age, provided that they meet the described inclusion criteria.

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: microneedling

microneedling is a form of collagen induction therapy, often used in conjunction with platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid - Patients will receive two treatments, once at 6-8 weeks following facial surgery, and the second at 12-16 weeks following facial surgery

active comparator: dermabrasion

dermabrasion is a technique that improves the skin structure, quality, and appearance of scars through collagen remodeling and reepithelization - Patients will receive the standard of care treatment 6-10 weeks following facial surgery

Interventions

Microneedling

a form of collagen induction therapy

Dermabrasion

a technique that improves the skin structure, quality, and appearance of scars through collagen remodeling and reepithelization

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in Vancouver Scar Scale Scores [ Time Frame: Month 7 ]
  • Change in Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale Scores [ Time Frame: Month 7 ]
  • Change in Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale Scores [ Time Frame: Month 7 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Candace M Waters, MD

336-716-4000cmwaters@wakehealth.edu

Alexa l Lacy

336-716-3850Alexa.Lacy@advocatehealth.org

Locations

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Recruiting

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157

Contacts

Candace M Waters, MD

336-716-4000cmwaters@wakehealth.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Last update posted

May 7, 2026

Last verified

Dec, 2025

Keywords

  • Dermabrasion
  • Microneedling
  • Surgical scars

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Wake Forest University Health Sciences on 2026-05-07.