Adult-Onset Linear Morphea (en coupe de sabre) of the Face Successfully Treated with Photoactivated Low-Temperature Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Valid Therapeutic Option

Abstract

Localized scleroderma (also known as morphea) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by depressed, fibrotic, and dyschromic cutaneous lesions. It has a significant impact on the patient’s daily life due to the unaesthetic evolution of the cutaneous lesions. Morphea is clinically divided into linear, circumscribed (plaque), generalized, pansclerotic, and mixed forms. Linear morphea en coupe de sabre (LM) usually arises in childhood. However, in about 32% of cases, it may arise in adulthood, showing a more aggressive course with also an increased risk of systemic involvement. Methotrexate is the first-line treatment for LM, although systemic steroids, topical agents (corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors), hyaluronic acid injections, and hydroxychloroquine or mycophenolate mofetil are valid therapeutic options. In any case, these treatments are not always effective and sometimes can be associated with important side effects and/or not tolerated by the patients. In this spectrum, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection can be considered a valid and safe alternative since PRP injections in the skin induce the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors, thus reducing inflammation and increasing collagen remodeling. Herein, we describe a successful treatment of an adult-onset LM en coupe de sabre with photoactivated low-temperature PRP (Meta Cell Technology Plasma) sessions, showing an important local improvement of the lesion and patient satisfaction.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Dermatology: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Action

“…Favorable cosmetic outcomes with minimal side-effects in patients with localized morphea who underwent PRP have been described. The mechanisms of action involved are still to be elucidated but the stimulation of new collagen synthesis, the improvement of extracellular matrix remodeling, and anti-inflammatory effects were proposed as potential pathways [87,88].…”