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Blue Light Treatment for Acne

Blue light acne treatment is approved by the FDA in the USA to treat mild to moderate acne. Data from recent studies indicates that laser and IPL treatments show much promise in treating acne. The development of blue light acne therapy has had significant benefits for those who have not responded adequately to traditional methods of treating common acne and represents an alternative option for those who for whatever reason do not wish to use conventional treatments.

It must be remembered however, that the causes of acne are multi-factorial and vary from person to person. There is no one solution that fits all acne sufferers and a combination of treatments will often be needed for some patients. Read more about other acne treatments.

This article reviews data from recent studies to help you make an informed decision about whether blue light therapy might be right for you. Here’s what is known:

The FDA in the USA has approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne and this is currently probably the best-known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy for acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.

Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness. As the results from the following studies show, many patients — but not all — see noticeable improvement with about 55% clearance:

31 patients with symmetrical (same on both sides) facial acne received blue-light treatment on 1 side of their faces. Blue-light therapy was given twice a week for four consecutive weeks. The other side of each patient’s face did not receive any treatment so that researchers could judge the effectiveness of the blue-light therapy. The researchers concluded that blue-light therapy is an effective acne treatment unless the patient has a very severe form of acne called nodulocystic acne, which tends to worsen when treated with blue light. (Taiwan)¹

25 patients with inflammatory acne on their faces had half of their face treated with blue-light therapy (8 sessions over 4 weeks) and the other half with clindamycin (a topical antimicrobial shown successful in treating acne). Patients were instructed to apply the clindamycin twice a day for four weeks. After four weeks, the clindamycin side showed a 22.25% improvement, and the side treated with blue light improved by 39%. However, after eight weeks and without further treatment, the side treated with clindamycin was better able to maintain results. (United States)²

10, 13, and 25 patients were enrolled in three separate studies designed to learn more about the effects of blue-light therapy on papulo-pustular (inflammatory) acne. In all three studies, more than 80% of the patients treated with blue-light therapy responded to the treatment. The patients who responded saw a 59% to 67% reduction in inflammatory acne lesions. (Israel)³

30 patients with mild to moderate acne were treated twice a week with blue-light therapy for up to five weeks. After five weeks, acne lesions decreased by 64%. However, not all patients saw improvement; 20% remained unchanged or experienced a worsening of their acne. (Japan)⁴

As you can see, the number of patients involved in these studies is small. Clinical trials conducted to test new drugs generally must enroll hundreds to thousands of participants before submitting the data to the FDA for consideration. With such small numbers, statistically valid conclusions cannot be drawn. At present, blue-light therapy appears to improve acne vulgaris in some individuals. This therapy appears most effective for commonly occurring inflammatory acne lesions and may not be suitable for patients with the more serious form of nodulocystic acne.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for Acne Studies are investigating the effectiveness of this therapy in treating acne. Patients receiving PDT undergo a two-step process. First, a solution of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is applied to the skin to be treated. ALA is a medication that increases sensitivity to light. When used to treat acne, the ALA is kept on the skin for a period of time ranging from 15 to 60 minutes. The length of time depends on the severity of the acne. Step two involves removing the ALA and treating the skin with light therapy. Since ALA makes the skin more light sensitive, patients are instructed to use sun protection for 48 hours after treatment. Blue light therapy using ALA targets both the P. acnes bacteria, as well as excessive oil production from overactive sebaceous glands, and might therefore be a more effective treatment for some acne sufferers than blue light therapy without ALA. Read more about Photodynamic Therapy

Findings from research studies confirm treatment with blue light after the application of ALA is effective. (Israel)⁷

Many patients require multi-targeted approach. Acne develops when one or more of the following occurs: excess sebum production, rapid production of P. acnes, skin cells shed too quickly and release of inflammatory substances. For treatment to work it must interfere with what is causing the acne. This is why the acne treatment prescribed by cosmetic physicians or dermatologists often requires patients to use more than one medication.

Since some of the laser and light therapies target only one cause, a patient’s acne may not resolve. For example, blue-light therapy targets only P. acnes, so acne will resolve only when this is the sole cause. If other factors are present, blue-light therapy alone will not clear the acne.

With time, research, and experience, laser and light therapies may eventually be light years ahead of traditional acne therapies. Studies indicate that these treatments offer a promising non-invasive alternative. Until more is known, laser and light therapies offer an additional option for individuals whose acne has not responded adequately to traditional acne therapies.

References:
1 Tzung TY et al. “Blue light phototherapy in the treatment of acne.” Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine. 2004 October; 20(5):266-9.
2 “New blue light edges out clindamycin.” Dermatology Times. 2004 March:25(3):40.
3 Elman M et al. “The effective treatment of acne vulgaris by a high-intensity, narrow band 405-420 nm light source.” Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2003 June;5(2):111-7
4 Kawada A et al. “Acne phototherapy with a high-intensity, enhanced, narrow-band, blue light source: an open study and in vitro investigation.” Journal of Dermatologic Science. 2002 November;30(2):129-35.
5 Elman M, Lask G. “The role of pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) in acne clearance.” Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2004 June;6(2):91-5.
6 Hongcharu W et al. “Topical ALA-photodynamic therapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2000 August;115(2):183-92.
7 Askkenzai H et al. “Eradication of Propionibacterium acnes by its endogenic porphyrins after illumination with high intensity blue light.” FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 2003 January 21:35(1):17-24.