The new age of acne therapy: Light, lasers, and radiofrequency

Abstract

Research emphasizing long-term follow-up and comparative, randomized trials is necessary to determine whether these emerging technologies will become a viable alternative to standard therapies such as antibiotics.

Randomized trial of three phototherapy methods for the treatment of acne vulgaris in Chinese patients

“…Rotunda et al . suggested that the effect of IPL on acne relies on a combination of photothermal and photochemical actions. Elevated temperature in the hyperemic acne lesions and dermal–epidermal junction causes selective thermal damage to cells, while photoactivation of endogenous porphyrins leads to the production of singlet oxygen species.…”

The dual treatment of acne vulgaris using two kinds of ELOSTM(electro optical synergy) system: A simultaneous split‐face trial

“…RF is currently used in two non-ablative devices investigated for the treatment of acne: Thermacool (Thermage, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA), which delivers monopolar RF energy; and Aurora AC (Syneron Medical Ltd), which uses bipolar RF in addition to blue light (13,14).…”

Procedural Treatments for Acne Vulgaris

“…85 RF is currently used in two nonablative devices investigated for the treatment of acne [Thermacool (Thermage, Inc. Hayward, CA), which delivers monopolar RF energy; and Aurora AC (Syneron Medical Ltd, Yokneam, Israel), which uses bipolar RF in addition to blue light]. 85,86 Case Series Studies In the first report on the use of RF energy (Thermacool) for the treatment of moderate to severe acne (Table 5), 87 most patients received a single treatment and were followed up to 8 months. Effects due to RF alone are not clear, however, because 9 of the 22 patients received medical therapies for acne during the RF treatment period.…”

“…Prieto and colleagues 88 (Table 5) evaluated the efficacy and safety of the Aurora AC (Syneron Medical Ltd), a device that delivers pulsed blue light and RF energies by ELOS, a proprietary technology that purports to cause (1) destruction of bacterial porphyrins by pulsed light and (2) sebaceous gland thermolysis by both light and RF energy. 86,88 An eight-treatment course (twice weekly for 4 weeks) resulted in reductions in (1) lesion count, (2) percentage of follicles with perifolliculitis, and (3) areas of sebaceous glands.…”