Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Dermabrasion for Free Flap Aesthetic Enhancement

40 participantsStarted 2026-07-01

Plain-language summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the aesthetic benefit and safety of serial dermabrasion for free flap skin paddles and donor site scars in head and neck reconstruction.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years

SexALL

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Inclusion criteria

✓. Adults aged 18 years or older.
✓. History of successful free flap reconstruction with a cutaneous skin paddle in the head and neck region.
✓. Patients with benign (eg. osteoradionecrosis, trauma) or malignant (eg. squamous cell carcinoma) diagnoses requiring free flap reconstruction.
✓. Benign free flap patients must be a minimum 3 months post-operative to ensure flap maturity. Malignant free flap patients must be a minimum of 3 months post-operative or post-radiation with no further cancer treatment (eg. radiation, surgery, chemotherapy) planned at that time.
✓. Flap skin paddle must be of sufficient size and external to allow for split-treatment design (minimum 4 cm in diameter). Donor site scar must also be sufficient size (minimum 6 cm in length)
✓. Patients must have ability to provide informed consent.
✓. Willingness and ability to comply with the treatment and follow-up schedule.

Exclusion criteria

✕. Inability to give informed consent.
✕. Evidence of active flap or radiation skin complications (e.g., infection, partial necrosis, wound breakdown).
✕. Completion of head and neck radiation therapy within 3 months of first dermabrasion treatment date.
✕. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (HbA1c \> 8.0%).
✕. Current antibiotic use or known immunocompromised state.
✕. History of keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring.
✕. Fitzpatrick skin type VI or higher (due to increased risk of pigmentary changes).
✕. Use of isotretinoin medication within the past 3 month (known to induce photosensitivity).

What they're measuring

Aesthetic grading of treated area compared to untreated

Timeframe: 1, 3, and 6 months post-treatment

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07233200

SponsorMilton S. Hershey Medical Center

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-07-01

Contact for this trial

Jessyka G. Lighthall, MD

7175318945 jlighthall@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Scar Conditions and Fibrosis of Skin trials