Difficulty in doing TCA CROSS for enlarged pores with toothpick – A video demonstration with simple solution

Surajit Gorai; Kinnor Das

doi:10.25259/CSDM_18_2023

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Innovations

2023

:3;

56

doi:

10.25259/CSDM_18_2023

Difficulty in doing TCA CROSS for enlarged pores with toothpick – A video demonstration with simple solution

Surajit Gorai^1,, Kinnor Das²

1Department of Dermatology, Apollo Multispeciality Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

2Department of Dermatology, Apollo Clinic Silchar, Silchar, Assam, India.

*Corresponding author: Surajit Gorai, Department of Dermatology, Apollo Multispeciality Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. drsurajit@drgorai.com

Received: 2023-01-13, Accepted: 2023-02-15, Published: 2023-03-27

Licence

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, transform, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

How to cite this article: Gorai S, Das K. Difficulty in doing TCA CROSS for enlarged pores with toothpick – A video demonstration with simple solution. CosmoDerma 2023;3:56.

PROBLEM

Chemical reconstruction of skin scars with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) also named as TCA CROSS used for ice pick scars, enlarged pores, varicella scars, etc. Although this method gained popularity, lately yet standardized protocols are lacking.^[1] Sometimes, we found difficulty in treating large pores or ice pick scars with tooth pick (a commonly used tool for this purpose) as its diameter is more than the scars. Hence, TCA cannot reach the bottom or walls of the scar and get deposited in the normal skin causing more scarring or post-inflammatory pigmentation [Figure 1].

A toothpick cannot reach the depth of icepick scar or enlarged pores.

SOLUTION

We have developed a simple solution for this problem. Ellman radiofrequency probe that is angulated and with medium thickness is used for this and the probe can reach the depth solving the problem [Figure 2]. The video demonstrates how it’s done with Ellman radiofrequency probe and the whole tip enters within the enlarged pore indicating the depth of the scar [Video 1].

Before and after image showing reduction of ice pick scars on left cheek after trichloroacetic acid CROSS.

Video 1:

Video 1:Video demonstrating how Ellman probe is used to enter the depth of enlarged pores while doing TCA CROSS.

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Declaration of patient consent

The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Videos available online at

https://doi.org/10.25259/CSDM_18_2023

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

References

Lee JB, Chung WG, Kwahck H, Lee KH. Focal treatment of acne scars with trichloroacetic acid: Chemical reconstruction of skin scars method. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28:1017-21.
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