The Use of Lasers and Light Devices in Acne Management: An Update

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit and the most common inflammatory dermatosis worldwide. It is also associated with significant economic burden. Limitations of conventional topical and systemic treatments include long treatment course, intolerable adverse effects, antibiotic resistance, and patient compliance. Therefore, laser and light-based interventions present as alternative options over the past decade and have been used in combination with conventional pharmacological therapies and other physical modalities. An updated overview on the use of lasers and light-based devices in acne management is presented to help clinicians understand the safety and efficacy of these treatment options. The effectiveness of neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) for treating acne is supported by more high-level studies compared with other laser devices. There is limited evidence to support the use of CO 2 lasers, potassium titanyl phosphate lasers, and 1565-nm non-ablative fractional lasers for treating acne. Among light devices, photodynamic therapy is the most studied, showing higher efficacies than some of the conventional topical and oral acne therapies. Intense-pulsed light and blue light therapies also show favorable outcomes. A limitation is that most studies are non-randomized and lack a control group, and report on a variety of device settings, treatment regimens, and outcome measures, making it challenging to summarize and generalize findings. Although the use of laser and light devices to treat acne is promising, further work with randomized controlled study designs and larger sample sizes will provide improved guidance on the application of these modalities.

Therapeutic efficacy of metronidazole by needle‐free jet injection combined with blue light therapy in Moderate‐to‐Severe facial acne vulgaris

“…The blue light group and MNZ + blue light group had higher pain scores than the MNZ group, and this may have been mainly due to discomfort caused by blue light irradiation. All three treatments showed good safety and occasional burning, and erythema disappeared shortly after treatment, this is consistent with the previous studies 16 . Patients should be reminded that pustules may form scabs after blue light treatment, and will last for 3–7 days.…”

“…All three treatments showed good safety and occasional burning, and erythema disappeared shortly after treatment, this is consistent with the previous studies. 16 Patients should be reminded that pustules may form scabs after blue light treatment, and will last for 3-7 days.…”

Non-pharmacologic treatment for acne vulgaris

“…It is well tolerated and causes non-specific thermal injury to sebaceous glands. [69] Therefore, some prospective split-face studies using 532 nm KTP laser showed improvement of lesions in mild to moderate acne at 1 month after four sessions with minimal side effects. Also, decrease in sebum production by 28% was detected, with little effect on C. acnes (measured by fluorescent photography).…”

Role of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser in Treatment of Alopecia Areata: Review Article

“…Depending on the model being used, the shot format (triangle, square, or round, for example), spot density, and spot diameter can all be adjusted. When employed in the standard mode, nonfractional, Having the lowest water absorption coefficient, it causes severe collateral thermal damage while maintaining perfect homeostasis (11) .…”