Evaluation of Self-Treatment of Mild-to-Moderate Facial Acne with a Blue Light Treatment System
June 2011 | Volume 10 | Issue 6 | Original Article | 596 | Copyright © June 2011
Ronald G. Wheeland MDa and Sunil Dhawan MDb,c
aDepartment of Dermatology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO bCenter for Dermatology, Fremont, CA cDepartment of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Abstract
Introduction: This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of treating mild-to-moderate facial acne using a new, hand-held,
light-emitting diode blue light device in conjunction with a foam cleanser containing 5% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid plus a skin
rebuilding serum containing 1.25% salicylic acid, 0.5% niacinamide, 0.08% liposomal-based azelaic acid and superoxide dismutase.
Methods: Volunteers with mild-to-moderate facial inflammatory acne used the blue light device twice daily for eight weeks, plus the
cleanser before treatments and the serum after each evening treatment.
Results: Among 33 subjects aged 25–45 years old, 28 completed. In a 3 cm x 5 cm target area receiving a daily dose of ~29 J/cm2,
treatment was associated with significant reductions from baseline in the inflammatory lesion count from week 1 onward (P≤.01) and
in the non-inflammatory lesion count from week 4 onward (P≤.05). The number of flares was significantly reduced from baseline from
week 2 onward (P≤.05), and flare severity and flare redness were significantly reduced from baseline from week 4 onward (P≤.01 and
P≤.05, respectively). At week 8, more than 90 percent of subjects reported improvements in their skin’s overall appearance, clarity,
radiance, tone, texture and smoothness. In addition, 82 percent were satisfied, very satisfied, or extremely satisfied with the blue
light treatment system and 86 percent agreed the treatment system was much gentler than traditional acne treatments.
Conclusion: The blue light treatment system offers effective, rapid, convenient and well tolerated treatment of inflammatory and
non-inflammatory acne lesions. The majority of subjects consider it much gentler than traditional acne treatments and it facilitates effective
treatment without the need for antibiotic exposure. The blue light treatment system and blue light therapy alone are attractive
treatment options for acne vulgaris, both as alternatives to traditional acne treatments and as adjunctive treatments to complement
existing therapies.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2011;10(6):596-602.
INTRODUCTION
Many topical and oral medications are used in the
treatment of acne vulgaris but their clinical utility is
often suboptimal as a result of a slow onset of action,
a lack of efficacy in some patients, tolerability problems (which
may subsequently lead to reduced compliance), or the risk of
other adverse effects such as the development of bacterial resistance
to antibiotics. Blue light therapy can offer a valuable
additional treatment option. Propionibacterium acnes produce
porphyrins as part of their normal metabolism and it is thought
that, when irradiated by blue light at a wavelength of 405-420
nm, photoexcitation of the porphyrins generates free radicals
that are bactericidal against P. acnes.1,2 Blue light may also have
anti-inflammatory effects as it has been shown to inhibit the
production of proinflammatory molecules-interleukin-1α and
inter-cellular adhesion molecule 1-in cultured keratinoctyes.3
The first blue light-emitting devices for treating acne required
administration once or twice weekly in the doctor's office,
which resulted in poor compliance. The US Food and Drug
Administration recently cleared an over-the-counter hand-held
blue light device which allows individuals to self-treat mild-tomoderate
inflammatory acne at home.4 A study has been performed
to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of this device
when used in conjunction with a proprietary foam cleanser and
skin rebuilding serum.
METHODS
Subjects
Subjects with mild-to-moderate inflammatory facial acne
were eligible for enrollment in this IRB-approved study (TRIA
AC-027). Subjects at least 18 years of age gave written in-
