A 2026 split-face trial found suction-assisted subcision beat subcision alone for atrophic acne scars on subjective ratings. Subcision is a procedure where a needle releases fibrous bands under depressed scars so skin can lift.
The trial treated one cheek with subcision alone and the other with subcision plus suction. Both sides improved from baseline, but doctors and patients scored the suction side higher, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine/PubMed abstract PubMed abstract.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What the October 2026 trial tested
- How much difference did suction make?
- Why rolling scars match this approach
- What should temper expectations?
What the October 2026 trial tested
The report titled "Subcision Versus Subcision With Suction for the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scars" appeared in Dermatologic Surgery, volume 52(10):989-993. It published online April 23, 2026, according to the Wolters Kluwer/Ovid Oct. 2026 issue listing.
Each participant served as their own comparison. One facial side received standard subcision. The other received subcision followed by suction.
How much difference did suction make?
Physician-rated Acne Scar Improvement Grading Scale scores were higher on the suction side, p=.002. Patient-rated scores also favored suction, p=.026.
The authors concluded subjective assessments favored suction-assisted subcision. They suggested the benefit was clinically visible even when scar counts did not fully capture it.
Why rolling scars match this approach
Rolling scars are shallow, up-to-5-mm wavy depressions. Fibrous bands anchor the surface to deeper tissue and hold the dip down.
Subcision cuts those bands. Freed skin can rise and build new collagen during healing, according to Northwestern authors in a Research Square preprint.
What should temper expectations?
An earlier rater-blinded split-face trial found no dermatologist-rated difference at 1 and 4 months. Patients favored suction at 1 month, 37% versus 24%, but that edge disappeared by month 4.
Suction also adds effort and short-term effects. Ask a dermatologist about these practical points:.
- visit schedule, such as suction starting day 3 and repeating every other day for two weeks in one protocol
- total sessions, such as 10 suction sessions in another protocol
- transient bruising, redness, swelling, and pigmentation risk, described in an NCBI/PMC comprehensive review of subcision
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