A 24-year-old woman with healed severe acne has multiple narrow, deeply punched-out scars less than 2 mm wide on both cheeks. Which scar revision technique best matches this scar morphology?

• A Subcision with filler for broad depressed scars
• B Fractional ablative laser resurfacing alone for all depths
• C Chemical reconstruction of skin scars using high-concentration trichloroacetic acid or punch excision ✓
• D Microneedling combined with platelet-rich plasma

Explanation

Ice-pick scars are narrow, sharply demarcated, deep epithelialised tracts extending into the dermis. Because they are deep and narrow, surface resurfacing methods such as microneedling or laser alone cannot reach their base. TCA CROSS, where concentrated trichloroacetic acid is focally applied inside each scar to induce chemical coagulation and collagenisation, or punch excision and grafting, directly addresses the tract. Subcision and fillers suit rolling scars, and fractional lasers suit shallow boxcar scarring.

Reference: Rook's Textbook of Dermatology, 9th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.