Hyaluronic acid injection aided by triamcinolone acetonide for treating periorbital depressed scars: A retrospective...

This study aims to assess the clinical efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) injections combined with hyaluronic acid (HA) for treating periorbital depressed scars. Clinical data of periorbital scarring in 16 patients (26 cases of scarring in total) who attended the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University between January 2018 and January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Scars were scored using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) before and after treatment, and scar softness scores and scar indentations were recorded. TAC was injected into the scar every 2 weeks, and the softness of the scar was evaluated before each TAC treatment. When the softness score of the VSS dropped to 1 or below, HA was filled in the subcutaneous layer of the scar. The treatment was followed up for 12 months, and digital photographs were taken of the treatment process as a basis for evaluating the treatment effect. The occurrence of adverse injection reactions was also recorded. SPSS27.0 was used for statistical analysis, and P <.05 was considered statistically significant. The softness scores in VSS of 26 cases of scarring were compared before TAC treatment with 1 month after HA treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 18.44, P <.01). The VSS scores before TAC treatment were compared with 1 month after HA treatment and the difference was statistically significant (t = 17.3, P <.01). The difference was statistically significant when comparing the VSS scores at 6 months versus 12 months after HA treatment (t = 2.74, P <.05). During TAC treatment, localized erythema appeared on the scar in 5 cases and skin thinning on the scar surface in 3 patients, which were corrected after 1 year of follow-up after HA treatment. At the time of HA injection, none of the 26 cases had allergic symptoms or vascular embolism. At 1-year follow-up, only 2 cases had reappearance of indentation of the scar (both <1 mm). Triamcinolone Acetonide injections combined with HA is safe and feasible for the treatment of periorbital scarring and can effectively improve the appearance of patients with periorbital scarring.