Wound HealNCT07213921
Dermabrasion in Mohs: Split-Scar Trial
A study testing Dermabrasion in people with Wound Heal, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the potential influence of intraoperative dermabrasion on scars following Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS). Researchers are trying to determine if dermabrasion, a method to gently remove the top layer of your skin, is a good or bad tool to improve scar appearance after healing. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Wound Heal
- What is being tested?
- Dermabrasion
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 29 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 23 Oct 2025to 30 Jul 2026
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Able to give informed consent themselves
- Scheduled for cutaneous surgical procedure on the face or neck with predicted linear closure greater than 4 centimeters.
- Willing to return for follow up visit within the evaluation period
Who cannot join
- Patients with impaired decision-making capacity
- Significant vision or hearing impairments
- Pregnant Individuals
- Incarceration
- Wounds with predicted closure length less than 4 cm
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
UW Health Mohs Surgery Clinic
Madison, Wisconsin, 53717
About this study
Official title: Intraoperative Dermabrasion in Mohs Surgery: A Randomized Split-Scar Trial
The purpose of this study is to determine the potential influence of intraoperative dermabrasion on scars following Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS). Researchers are trying to determine if dermabrasion, a method to gently remove the top layer of your skin, is a good or bad tool to improve scar appearance after healing. The use of dermabrasion technique in this study is considered investigational. 50 participants will be enrolled and on study for up to 6 months.
Read the detailed description
Primary Objective: Scar assessment at 3 months postoperatively by utilizing observer component of Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS)
Secondary Objectives:
- Patient portion of POSAS
- Overall patient opinion of scar appearance
- Complication rate
- Conditions
- Wound Heal
- Being tested
- Dermabrasion
- Keywords
- dermabrasion, scars
- Medical subject headings
- Cicatrix
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DermabrasionProcedure or surgery
Also called electrocautery scratch pad
First, both sides of the wound will be sutured together with a subcutaneous (bottom) layer of stitches. Next, a predetermined, concealed randomization number will be obtained which will specify which side, A or B, will be treated with dermabrasion. An electrocautery scratch pad will be used along the wound edge of the intervention side until pin-point bleeding is achieved. This will add no additional time to the standard of care surgery time. The wound will then be closed with an epidermal (top) layer of stitches, as is the standard of care.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| A: Superior Side of the Wound | Experimental | The participant's wound will be labeled A if it is on the left or superior side of the investigator Receives: Procedure: Dermabrasion |
| B: Inferior Side of the Wound | Experimental | The participant's wound will be labeled B if it is on the right or inferior side of the investigator Receives: Procedure: Dermabrasion |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
POSAS Observer Score at 3 months post-surgery
The investigators hypothesize that the side of the wound treated with intraoperative dermabrasion will have superior cosmesis as evaluated by the observer components of POSAS when evaluated at 3 months postoperatively. Two blinded reviewers will provide the POSAS Observer score which evaluates scar vascularity, pigmentation, thickness, relief, pliability, and surface area, each from 1 to 10 where higher scores indicate worse scars. Total scores are summed and range from 6-60.
Measured: 3 months post-surgery
Secondary outcomes (3)
POSAS Patient Score at 3 months post-surgery
The investigators hypothesize that the side of the wound treated with intraoperative dermabrasion will have superior cosmesis as evaluated by the patient components of POSAS when evaluated at 3 months postoperatively. The POSAS Patient score evaluates scar pain, itching, color, stiffness, thickness, and irregularity, each from 1 to 10 where higher scores indicate worse symptoms or physical scar characteristics. Total scores are summed and range from 6-60.
Measured: 3 months post-surgery
POSAS Overall Patient Opinion Score at 3 months post-surgery
The investigators hypothesize that the side of the wound treated with intraoperative dermabrasion will have superior cosmesis as evaluated by the patient components of POSAS when evaluated at 3 months postoperatively. The POSAS overall patient opinion score ranges from 1 to 10 where higher scores indicate worse symptoms or physical scar characteristics.
Measured: 3 months post-surgery
Number of Complications
Measured: 3 months post-surgery
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Oct 2025
- Study start23 Oct 2025
- Primary completion30 Jul 2026
- Study completion30 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Wound HealStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Model description
- This is a single center, randomized, evaluator and participant blind, split wound study.
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 29 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Gloria Xu, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07213921
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-0592
- Other IDs
- A534300, Protocol Version 3/21/25
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Oct 2025
- Last updated
- 4 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Study data shared publicly (i.e.: publications, conference presentations, etc.) will be deidentified, photographs shared publicly will have participant's eyes and other identifiable features blocked to protect identity.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Intraoperative Dermabrasion in Mohs Surgery: A Randomized Split-Scar Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07213921
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2025-0592
- Conditions
- Wound Heal
- Keywords
- dermabrasion, scars
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 29 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, MadisonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 23 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Oct 2025 (actual)
- 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 purpose of this study is to determine the potential influence of intraoperative dermabrasion on scars following Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS). Researchers are trying to determine if dermabrasion, a method to gently remove the top layer of your skin, is a good or bad tool to improve scar appearance after healing. The use of dermabrasion technique in this study is considered investigational. 50 participants will be enrolled and on study for up to 6 months.
Detailed description
Primary Objective: Scar assessment at 3 months postoperatively by utilizing observer component of Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS)
Secondary Objectives:
- Patient portion of POSAS
- Overall patient opinion of scar appearance
- Complication rate
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This is a single center, randomized, evaluator and participant blind, split wound study.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| A: Superior Side of the Wound | Experimental | Procedure: DermabrasionThe participant's wound will be labeled A if it is on the left or superior side of the investigator |
| B: Inferior Side of the Wound | Experimental | Procedure: DermabrasionThe participant's wound will be labeled B if it is on the right or inferior side of the investigator |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Able to give informed consent themselves
- Scheduled for cutaneous surgical procedure on the face or neck with predicted linear closure greater than 4 centimeters.
- Willing to return for follow up visit within the evaluation period
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Patients with impaired decision-making capacity
- Significant vision or hearing impairments
- Pregnant Individuals
- Incarceration
- Wounds with predicted closure length less than 4 cm
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 |
|---|---|---|
| DermabrasionAlso: electrocautery scratch padFirst, both sides of the wound will be sutured together with a subcutaneous (bottom) layer of stitches. Next, a predetermined, concealed randomization number will be obtained which will specify which side, A or B, will be treated with dermabrasion. An electrocautery scratch pad will be used along the wound edge of the intervention side until pin-point bleeding is achieved. This will add no additional time to the standard of care surgery time. The wound will then be closed with an epidermal (top) layer of stitches, as is the standard of care. | Procedure or surgery | A: Superior Side of the Wound, B: Inferior Side of the Wound |
Primary outcome
POSAS Observer Score at 3 months post-surgery
Time frame: 3 months post-surgery
The investigators hypothesize that the side of the wound treated with intraoperative dermabrasion will have superior cosmesis as evaluated by the observer components of POSAS when evaluated at 3 months postoperatively. Two blinded reviewers will provide the POSAS Observer score which evaluates scar vascularity, pigmentation, thickness, relief, pliability, and surface area, each from 1 to 10 where higher scores indicate worse scars. Total scores are summed and range from 6-60.
3 secondary outcomes
POSAS Patient Score at 3 months post-surgery
Time frame: 3 months post-surgery
POSAS Overall Patient Opinion Score at 3 months post-surgery
Time frame: 3 months post-surgery
Number of Complications
Time frame: 3 months post-surgery
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 4 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Study data shared publicly (i.e.: publications, conference presentations, etc.) will be deidentified, photographs shared publicly will have participant's eyes and other identifiable features blocked to protect identity.
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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.
Gloria Xu, MD, PhD principal investigator
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dermabrasion in people with Wound Heal, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison 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 3 inclusion and 5 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 4 Sep 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?
POSAS Observer Score at 3 months post-surgery (time frame: 3 months post-surgery). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 4 Sep 2026.