Acne vulgaris: lasers, light sources and photodynamic therapy – an update 2007

Abstract

Inflammatory acne vulgaris remains one of the most common dermatologic disorders seen in clinical practice. Medical therapy remains the gold standard for therapy but recent advances have shown that a variety of lasers and light sources may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris. In addition, the use of 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid has found a useful niche in the treatment of moderate-to-severe inflammatory acne vulgaris.

Keywords::

• 5-aminolevulinic acid–photodynamic therapy
• acne vulgaris
• blue light
• intense pulsed light
• lasers and light sources
• methyl 5-aminolevulinic acid
• Propionibacterium acnes
• pulsed dye laser

Financial & competing interests disclosure

MH Gold is a consultant to Dusa Pharmaceuticals, performs research, speaks on their behalf, receives honoraria and travel expenses and is a stock owner. MH Gold is a medical advisory board member of Lumenis Inc., performs research, speaks on their behalf, receives honoraria and travel expenses and is a stock owner. MH Gold is also a consultant for Alma Lasers, Cynosure, Aesthera, Hoya ConBio and Sciton, speaks on their behalf and performs research. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.