A 2026 split-face trial found suction added to subcision improved rolling acne scars more than subcision alone on physician and patient ratings. Subcision with suction means cutting tight bands under the scar with a needle or cannula, then applying suction to help keep the lifted skin from sinking again. Rolling scars are shallow, wave-like dips caused by bands that pull the skin down. The trial treated one cheek with subcision alone and the other cheek with subcision plus suction in the same person, according to Wolters Kluwer/Ovid in the Dermatologic Surgery journal listing.
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 does subcision with suction do?
- What did the 2026 split-face trial find?
- What limits this result?
- How can you compare scar procedures?
What does subcision with suction do?
Rolling atrophic scars form when fibrous bands tether skin downward. Subcision cuts those bands so the scar floor lifts and new collagen fills the space, as described by Bay Clinic Singapore.
Suction is added right after release to prevent early redepression. Trial editors note prior evidence for this added step remained limited, according to Wolters Kluwer/Ovid in the Dermatologic Surgery journal listing.
What did the 2026 split-face trial find?
Both sides improved, but the suction side scored higher. Physician-rated and patient-rated Acne Scar Improvement Grading Scale scores were significantly higher on the suction-treated side, at p=.002 and p=.026 respectively, as reported by the U.S.
National Library of Medicine/PubMed in the trial abstract. Subjective ratings favored suction even when objective scar counting showed less difference. That pattern suggests perceptible benefits such as smoothness, shadow, and texture that simple counts can miss.
What limits this result?
An earlier split-face rater-blinded trial found no lasting suction advantage at 4 months. It found only temporary patient-reported benefit at 1 month, 37% versus 24% improvement, as reported in the Research Square preprint by Shi et al.
in the preprint record. That contrast matters for expectations. Suction may improve how scars look and feel early, but longer-term lift may depend more on release quality, healing, and scar type.
How can you compare scar procedures?
Single treatments help, but combination treatment generally outperforms single treatment. Adding fractional CO2 laser or hyaluronic-acid filler to subcision improved scar reduction and satisfaction versus subcision alone, according to the Menscape Clinic summary of trials in the treatment comparison summary. Use the same checks for each option before booking: Bring photos in the same light to each visit and ask how your result compares with subcision alone.
- Ask whether your scars are mainly rolling and tethered, the type subcision targets.
- Ask what is combined, why, and in what order.
- Ask how improvement will be judged, by photo, scale, or your own rating.
- Ask what follow-up is planned at 1 month and at 4 months or later.
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- The 160-Participant Acne Scar Combination Trial Published in 2026: How People With Rolling Acne Scars Can Compare Acne Scar Procedures
- Recovery and Pigment Safety in the 2026 Split-Face Acne Scar Trial: Questions People With Icepick Acne Scars Can Ask Before a Procedure