Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Nanofat Injection in the Treatment of Postburn Scars Using Optical Skin Imaging Analysis

Abstract

BACKGROUND Burn scars are considered one of the challenging issues that can affect the quality of life by causing aesthetic and functional problems. Injecting nanofat particles, which are considered a source of stem cells, into the dermis and/or subcutis of the burned area is considered a promising procedure for the treatment of scars and the correction of volume shortage and skin renewal. OBJECTIVE To assess the safety and effectiveness of using autologous nanofat injections to treat burn scars. METHODS Thirty patients with postburn scars participated in the trial. Each patient received one session of liposuction, which was then converted into nanofat and injected back into the scar tissue. Four months after the session, the evaluation was conducted both objectively using the Antera camera 3D imaging and subjectively using the Vancouver scar scale (VSS). RESULTS Because there were statistically significant improvements in the treated scars' height, color, vascularity, and pliability, the total VSS scores differed significantly before and after treatment. Furthermore, the Antera 3D imaging revealed a statistically significant variation in the treated scars' indentations, erythema, and pigmentation scores. CONCLUSION The study findings demonstrated that nanofat is a successful postburn scar treatment option that improves patients' quality of life.