Efficacy of Stromal Vascular Fraction on Acne Scar Correction

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradermal injection of autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. SVF is a heterogeneous cell population derived from adipose tissue, containing various regenerative and immunomodulatory cells, including mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells, and pericytes.

In this prospective, randomized, split-face clinical trial, participants with atrophic acne scars will receive SVF injections on one side of the face and normal saline (NS) injections on the contralateral side as a control. Clinical efficacy will be assessed through blinded scar counts, digital imaging, and histological evaluations including epidermal and dermal regenerative markers. The study is designed to investigate whether SVF provides superior clinical improvement compared to placebo.

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Key information

Conditions

Acne Scars Acne Scars - Atrophic

Age range

19 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Age between 19 and 45 years
Presence of bilateral atrophic acne scars (boxcar, rolling, or icepick types) on the face
Willingness to undergo fat harvesting procedure
Ability to comply with study visits and follow-up
Written informed consent obtained

Exclusion criteria

Active acne lesions on the treatment area
History of keloid or hypertrophic scarring
Prior treatment for acne scars (e.g., laser, filler, microneedling) within the past 6 months
History of systemic immunosuppressive therapy within the past 3 months
Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Any systemic disease that may interfere with wound healing or safety assessment (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, collagen vascular disease)

Treatment and study plan

stromal vascular fraction (SVF)

Biological

Autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF) isolated from adipose tissue was injected intradermally into one side of the face to evaluate its efficacy in treating atrophic acne scars. SVF was freshly prepared on the same day of injection using enzymatic digestion and centrifugation.

Normal Saline (NS)

Other

Normal saline (NS) was injected intradermally into the contralateral side of the face and served as a placebo comparator to SVF in this split-face study on atrophic acne scars.

Primary outcomes

Change in total number of atrophic acne scars from baseline to Week 5

Time frame: Baseline and 5 weeks after treatment
Change in total number of atrophic acne scars from baseline to Week 10

Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks after treatment

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Dae Hun Suh

CONTACT

[email protected]

82+2-2072-2714

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Seoul National University Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy of Intradermal Stromal Vascular Fraction Injection in the Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scar

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jul 31, 2025
Registry last updated: Jul 31, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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