Acne ScarsNCT01696513
Effect of Subcision and Suction on Acne Scars
A study testing Suction and Subcision in people with Acne Scars, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the use of standard treatment in conjunction with suction will improve acne scars compared to a standard treatment alone. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Acne Scars
- What is being tested?
- Suction and Subcision
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2012to 7 Jun 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 and over
- Have bilateral rolling acne scars
- Are in good health
- Subject has the willingness and ability to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator.
Who cannot join
- Under 18 years of age
- Pregnancy or lactation
- Unable to understand the protocol or give informed consent
- Has mental illness
- Recent Accutane use in the past 6 months
- Prone to hypertrophic and keloidal scarring
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology
Chicago, Illinois, 60611
About this study
Official title: Pilot Split Face Randomized, Evaluator Blinded Study on the Effect of Subcision and Suctioning With a Microdermabrasion Device on Rolling Acne Scars
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the use of standard treatment in conjunction with suction will improve acne scars compared to a standard treatment alone.
- Conditions
- Acne Scars
- Being tested
- Suction, Subcision
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
SuctionProcedure or surgery
SubcisionProcedure or surgery
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Subcision & Suction | Experimental | Standard treatment for acne scars followed by suction. Receives: Procedure: Suction; Procedure: Subcision |
| Subcision | Active comparator | Standard treatment for acne scars only Receives: Procedure: Subcision |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in acne scarring compared to baseline after treatments
The change in acne scarring is measured using a global scarring grading system to compare baseline scarring to the treatments.
Measured: Baseline and 4 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Oct 2012 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2012
- Primary completion7 Jun 2024
- Study completion7 Jun 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Acne ScarsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Northwestern UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Murad Alam, Northwestern University
- Investigators
- Murad Alam, MD, Principal investigator, Northwestern University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01696513
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU66710
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Sep 2012
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Shi VJ, Ma MS, Koza E, Haq M, Ahmed A, Yi MD, Dirr MA, Anvery N, Christensen RE, Pagdhal K, Geisler A, Nodzenski M, Roongpisuthipong W, Brieva JC, Cahn BA, Yoo SS, Lucas J, Poon E, West DP, Fife D, Alam M. Subcision with and without suction for acne scars: a split-faced, rater-blinded randomized control trial. Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 7;316(7):344. doi: 10.1007/s00403-024-03128-4.
PubMed 38847979
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pilot Split Face Randomized, Evaluator Blinded Study on the Effect of Subcision and Suctioning With a Microdermabrasion Device on Rolling Acne Scars
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01696513
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STU66710
- Conditions
- Acne Scars
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Sep 2012
- Primary completion
- 7 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 7 Jun 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 1 Oct 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the use of standard treatment in conjunction with suction will improve acne scars compared to a standard treatment alone.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Subcision & Suction | Experimental | Procedure: Suction, Procedure: SubcisionStandard treatment for acne scars followed by suction. |
| Subcision | Active comparator | Procedure: SubcisionStandard treatment for acne scars only |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 18 and over
- Have bilateral rolling acne scars
- Are in good health
- Subject has the willingness and ability to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Under 18 years of age
- Pregnancy or lactation
- Unable to understand the protocol or give informed consent
- Has mental illness
- Recent Accutane use in the past 6 months
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Suction | Procedure or surgery | Subcision & Suction |
| Subcision | Procedure or surgery | Subcision, Subcision & Suction |
Primary outcome
Change in acne scarring compared to baseline after treatments
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months
The change in acne scarring is measured using a global scarring grading system to compare baseline scarring to the treatments.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38847979Shi VJ, Ma MS, Koza E, Haq M, Ahmed A, Yi MD, Dirr MA, Anvery N, Christensen RE, Pagdhal K, Geisler A, Nodzenski M, Roongpisuthipong W, Brieva JC, Cahn BA, Yoo SS, Lucas J, Poon E, West DP, Fife D, Alam M. Subcision with and without suction for acne scars: a split-faced, rater-blinded randomized control trial. Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 7;316(7):344. doi: 10.1007/s00403-024-03128-4.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Murad Alam, MD principal investigator
Northwestern University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Suction and Subcision in people with Acne Scars, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in acne scarring compared to baseline after treatments (time frame: Baseline and 4 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01696513, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.