Robyn D. Siperstein, MD: Radiofrequency Microneedling for Hypertrophic Scars, Hyperpigmentation

In an HCPLive interview at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2023 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Robyn D. Siperstein, MD, spoke about the topics covered in her presentation on microneedling techniques for skin of color.

Siperstein, known for her work as founder of Siperstein Dermatology, discussed some of the ways clinicians can determine which patients will be good candidates for microneedling.

“So in my practice, we use it for multiple conditions,” Siperstein said. “My favorite, and what I was talking about at the AAD, was using it on hypertrophic scars. And that could be hyper-pigmented, darker ones as well as erythematous ones.”

Siperstein’s talk was titled ‘Advances in Microneedling Techniques Around the World,’ and her portion of the presentation described the treatment of hyperpigmented and hypertrophic scars in skin of color.

“Obviously, if it can get rid of redness and pigment, a lot of people also use it for anti-aging, to help with sun damage,” she said. “So in the first clinical trials with the (radiofrequency) device, many many years ago, in our practice, I have some before and after pictures…of some of these subjects that have had improvement in their pigment, improvement in their redness, vessels, improvement in texture, fine lines and wrinkles.”

As the conversation went on, Siperstein described its use in transdermal drug delivery.

“So it can be used for multiple medications,” she said. “For scars, sometimes we'll use triamcinolone and/or 5FU depending on their skin type. I often will put it on before, during, and after. You have to do it within a few minutes after, otherwise the body is really good at healing. And especially with the insulated tips, where there's not that much injury in the epidermis.”

Siperstein added that one will only have a few minutes before the channels in the epidermis start to close up and heal with microneedling.

“Other people have used it with other products,” she said. “Polylactic acid I know is used for anti-aging with it. But I actually don't recommend that, (as) certain polylactic acids are very expensive and if I'm going to use it on a patient, I want to inject the whole amount. You have to realize that only a minuscule fraction of the medication is going to get through, you are disrupting the normal epidermal barrier, so more is going to get in after microneedling than with normal skin.”

For more information on this presentation, view Siperstein’s full interview above.