A comparative clinical and histopathological study of microneedling versus microdermabrasion (aluminum oxide crystals) in the treatment of striae distensae

Background Striae distensae is a challenging cosmetic problem for which various treatment modalities have been applied. The treatment of striae distensae has not been satisfactory. Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of microneedling versus microdermabrasion in the treatment of striae distensae. Patients and methods Thirty patients with striae distensae were divided into the following groups: group I was treated with microneedling and group II was treated with microdermabrasion. Each patient received at least six sessions of treatment with a 2-week interval and followed up for 3 months. Skin biopsies were taken from some patients before treatment and after the end of the follow-up period to study the histopathological changes. Results In group I, 40% of patients showed excellent improvement, 26.7% showed marked improvement, 13.3% showed moderate improvement, and 20% showed minimal improvement. In group II, 20% of patients showed marked improvement, 26.7% showed moderate improvement, and 40% showed minimal improvement. There was a statistically significant improvement in group I than group II. There was a statistically significant improvement in patients with striae rubra than striae alba. Conclusion Microneedling was more effective but less tolerable than microdermabrasion in the treatment of striae distensae. Both microneedling and microdermabrasion were more effective for the treatment of striae rubrae than striae alba.