Background:
Microdermal grafting is used to regenerate color in white scars using knife cutting partially de-epithelialized skin for grafting. However, the scalp has more melanocytes, and dermabrasion can preserve more melanocytes than knife cutting during partial deepithelialization. We refined the two techniques that we originally reported using dermabrasion, not knife cutting, to partially de-epithelialize skin, and harvesting melanocytes donor sites from the scalp, not the skin.

Objective:
To evaluate the color regeneration results and complication of various microdermal grafting procedures for white scar regeneration.

Material and Methods:
Using the two technique refinements of microdermal grafting for white scars, and reviewed 65 cases in which different variations of these procedures were used, to treat white scars on face and forearm.

Results:
Sixty-five patients (36 forearms, 29 faces) were treated, 40 receiving one session, 23 receiving two sessions and 2 receiving three session treatments. The follow-up was 6.5 months (range 4-16). The use of both technique refinement of the procedures produced approximately 15% better color generation than the original procedures after one session treatment, and approximately 20% better than the original procedures after two session treatment. The use of histological examination showed that the scalp had richer melanocytes than skin, and the dermabrasion method could preserve more melanocytes around the epidermal dermal region. The complication rate was reduced.

Conclusion:
The use of the scalp as donor site and partial de-ephithelialization, by dermabrasion can be safely incorporated into this microdermal grafting procedure for better color regeneration of white scars.

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