Radiofrequency Microneedling Versus Fractional Laser for the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
9 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Medicine University of Khartoum Khartoum Sudan
- 2College of Medicine Alexandria University Alexandria Egypt
- 3Amiri Hospital Kuwait City Kuwait
- 4Taif University Ta'if Saudi Arabia
- 5College of Medicine Arabian Gulf University Manama Bahrain
- 6East Jeddah General Hospital Jeddah Saudi Arabia
- 7Ministry of Health Kuwait City Kuwait
- 8Faculty of Medicine Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj‐Napoca Romania
- 9King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background: Atrophic acne scars are a common and distressing complication of acne vulgaris, with limited consensus on optimal treatment. Radiofrequency microneedling (RFM) and fractional laser are widely used modalities, but their comparative effectiveness remains unclear.
Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of RFM versus fractional laser in treating atrophic acne scars.
Methods: A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Five databases were searched up to February 2026 for randomized and prospective comparative studies. The primary outcome was ECCA score reduction; secondary outcomes included clinical improvement, patient satisfaction, and adverse events.
Results: Eight studies were included. Both RFM and fractional laser demonstrated statistically significant improvements in acne scar severity across multiple outcome measures (p < 0.05). Patient satisfaction was consistently high, with up to 95% of patients reporting satisfaction in RFM‐treated groups. Several studies demonstrated comparable clinical improvement between RFM and fractional laser, particularly in terms of dermal remodeling and texture enhancement. In addition, RFM was associated with a favorable safety profile, showing fewer pigment‐related adverse events and shorter downtime compared to fractional laser, while reported side effects in both groups were generally mild and transient.
Conclusions: RFM and fractional laser are effective for atrophic acne scars. RFM may offer similar efficacy with improved tolerability. Further high‐quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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BibTeX
@article{mustafa2026radiofrequency,
title = {{Radiofrequency Microneedling Versus Fractional Laser for the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis}},
author = {Gotof Abdesalam Mustafa and Faisal Fahad AlSuwailem and Fatma H. J. AlAmiri and Rawan Hassan Alzaidi Alotaibi and Zainab Mahmoud Baqer and Leena Abdullah Alotaibi and Sabah Faisal AlQabandi and Reham Alawi Taqi and Suha Giselle Ghanem and Azhar Abbas Ahmed},
journal = {Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1111/jocd.71025},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.71025},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Radiofrequency Microneedling Versus Fractional Laser for the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
AU - Gotof Abdesalam Mustafa
AU - Faisal Fahad AlSuwailem
AU - Fatma H. J. AlAmiri
AU - Rawan Hassan Alzaidi Alotaibi
AU - Zainab Mahmoud Baqer
AU - Leena Abdullah Alotaibi
AU - Sabah Faisal AlQabandi
AU - Reham Alawi Taqi
AU - Suha Giselle Ghanem
AU - Azhar Abbas Ahmed
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
DO - 10.1111/jocd.71025
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.71025
AB - Background: Atrophic acne scars are a common and distressing complication of acne vulgaris, with limited consensus on optimal treatment. Radiofrequency microneedling (RFM) and fractional laser are widely used modalities, but their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of RFM versus fractional laser in treating atrophic acne scars. Methods: A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Five databases were searched up to February 2026 for randomized and prospective comparative studies. The primary outcome was ECCA score reduction; secondary outcomes included clinical improvement, patient satisfaction, and adverse events. Results: Eight studies were included. Both RFM and fractional laser demonstrated statistically significant improvements in acne scar severity across multiple outcome measures (p < 0.05). Patient satisfaction was consistently high, with up to 95% of patients reporting satisfaction in RFM‐treated groups. Several studies demonstrated comparable clinical improvement between RFM and fractional laser, particularly in terms of dermal remodeling and texture enhancement. In addition, RFM was associated with a favorable safety profile, showing fewer pigment‐related adverse events and shorter downtime compared to fractional laser, while reported side effects in both groups were generally mild and transient. Conclusions: RFM and fractional laser are effective for atrophic acne scars. RFM may offer similar efficacy with improved tolerability. Further high‐quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.
SN - 1473-2130
SN - 1473-2165
ER -