Efficacy of Microneedle Patches Containing Salicylic Acid or EGCG on Acne Vulgaris

Dissolving microneedle technology is an emerging system which makes it easy to deliver medications through skin barrier. It is expected to be effective on acne lesions using a microneedle system coated with a known topical acne medications. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of salicylic acid (SA) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) containing microneedle patches on facial acne lesions. A prospective, split-face study was performed for 4 weeks. A total twenty adult acne patients were conducted to assess the treatments. The participants applied the different types of patches (SA, EGCG and control) on each quadrant area of the face every other day. Clinical improvement was assessed by lesions counting using photographs, investigator grading analysis score, sebum excretion, erythema index, and patients’ subjective assessment of satisfaction. At week 4, both SA and EGCG containing microneedle patch showed clinical improvement on each assessments. SA had a superior efficacy than EGCG and control patches, especially on lesions counting of non-inflammatory acne lesions which were showed a statistically significant difference. No adverse effects were noticed. Almost none statistically significant difference was seen among SA, EGCG and control microneedle patches, except for non-inflammatory acne lesions. But still SA and EGCG containing microneedle were shown to be clinically more efficacious than controls.