TCA Cross for Acne Scars

From what I've been reading , this is a very simple and effective
treatment for pitted scars. You can buy the acid and do it yourself, if
you want to take the risk. Or you can pay a dermatologist a large sum to
do it for you. I would like to have a dermatologist do it, but don't
have the money right now. It's too bad that such a simple and effective
treatment should cost so much.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&l..._uids=1


Focal treatment of acne scars with trichloroacetic acid: chemical
reconstruction of skin scars method.

Lee JB, Chung WG, Kwahck H, Lee KH.

Leejiham Skin Clinic and Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University
College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

BACKGROUND: Acne scarring is a common complication of acne and yet no
appropriate and effective single treatment modality has been developed.
We suggest a technique consisting of the focal application of higher
trichloroacetic acid (TCA) concentrations by pressing hard on the entire
depressed area of atrophic acne scars. This technique is called chemical
reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) by the authors. OBJECTIVE: To
evaluate the clinical effects of CROSS on atrophic acne scars in
dark-complexioned patients. METHODS: An analysis was conducted of 65
patients with atrophic acne scars who were treated with CROSS in our
hospitals between July 1996 and July 2001. Thirty-three patients were
treated with 65% TCA CROSS and 32 patients were treated with 100% TCA
CROSS. All patients had Fitzpatrick skin types IV-V. RESULTS: Patient
treatment data indicated that 27 of 33 patients (82%) (the 65% TCA
group) and 30 of 32 patients (94%) (the 100% TCA group) experienced a
good clinical response. All patients in the 100% TCA group who received
five or six courses of treatment showed excellent results. Good
satisfaction rates in the 65% and 100% TCA groups were recorded. There
were no cases of significant complication. CONCLUSION: CROSS is a safe
and very effective single modality for the treatment of atrophic acne
scars with no significant complications.