Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42533163›Full record

Trial reportLasers in medical science2026

Treatment of striae albae with combination of fractional radiofrequency and topical tretinoin: A randomized controlled trial.

Gabriela Lladó Grove, Katrine E Karmisholt, Peter A Philipsen, Peter Bjerring, Merete Haedersdal

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Lasers in medical science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gabriela Lladó GroveDepartment of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark. ggro0013@regionh.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6954-4458
Katrine E KarmisholtDepartment of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Peter A PhilipsenDepartment of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Peter BjerringDepartment of Dermatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Merete HaedersdalDepartment of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mature striae distensae, called striae albae, are common but treatment-resistant dermal scars. Fractional radiofrequency (FRF) can potentially act as transdermal permeation enhancer for topical tretinoin (TT). This study investigated FRF and TT as a combination treatment for striae albae. Twenty patients were included, each with four anatomically comparable areas that were randomized to (i) TT (ii) FRF (iii) combination FRF + TT and (iv) untreated control. Three treatment sessions were performed one month apart, and TT was also applied in-between. The change in striae from baseline to 20-week follow-up (Δ) was assessed using the Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS, SUM: 6-60). At baseline, patients assessed the striae as moderate-severe (POSAS-PT: SUM medians 24-25) and at follow-up, they reported an improvement (POSAS-PT: ΔSUM 5-10 points), but only the combination treatment improved significantly better (FRF + TT vs. control p = 0.029). A blinded dermatologist confirmed a tendency towards treatment improvement (POSAS-OBS: ΔSUM: 0-2 point, all treatments vs control p≥0.269). A subtle tendency was observed in objective measures with 3D photographs. Combination treatment with FRF and TT was tolerable and improved patient-reported striae compared to control. Striae albae remain challenging, but the findings highlight a potential for future combination treatment approaches.Trial registration number: NCT05461755Date of registration: 15.07.2022.

Indexed as

Keratolytic AgentsRadiofrequency TherapyStriae DistensaeTretinoinAdministration, CutaneousAdultCombined Modality TherapyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeKeratolytic AgentsTretinoinCombination therapyDrug deliveryFractional radiofrequencyPOSASRandomized controlled trialRCTStriae albaeTopicalTretinoin

Identifiers

PMID42533163
PMCPMC13424636

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.