Striae distensae (SD) are common skin conditions that have posed a significant challenge regarding their assessment and treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of microneedling in comparison to fractional CO 2 laser therapy. Similar striae were selected and photographed. Each side was randomly assigned to be treated with CO 2 fractional laser or microneedling four times at monthly intervals and followed up for 10 months. Outcome measures including the length and width of the largest striae, dermatologist assessed improvement, patients' satisfaction, and visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess the efficacy of treatments. Forty patients with a mean age of 28.1 years were included. The median cross-section of the largest striae decreased significantly in both groups (P-value <0.001), without statistically significant differences between the two groups before and 6 months after treatment. VAS also improved significantly in both groups, and there were no statistically significant differences between the two treatments in all visits. No clinically significant adverse effects were observed. Fractional CO 2 laser and microneedling are both efficient treatments to resolve SD. A new light should be shed on the microneedling modality as it is more economical than the other treatment options.clinical trial, fractional CO 2 laser, microneedling, stretch marks, striae distensae
| INTRODUCTIONStriae distensae (SD) are perceptible linear scars that emerge due to the disproportionate skin stretching. It occurs in several conditions, including growth spurt in puberty, pregnancy, and rapid changes in particular body regions. 1,2 SD occurs with a number of histopathological alterations, for instance, mid-dermis elastolysis, which is observable due to macrophage stimulation and degranulation of the mast cells. 3