Topical ALA PDT for the treatment of severe acne vulgaris
Summary
Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness of topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-medicated photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of severe acne vulgaris.
Methods
A total of 78 Chinese patients with Grade 4 severe facial acne were treated with 1–3 courses of ALA PDT. ALA cream (10%) was applied topically to acne lesions for 3
h. The lesions were irradiated by a LED light of 633nm at dose levels of 50–70J/cm2 at 66mW/cm2. Clinical assessment was conducted before and after treatment up to 6 months.
Results
22% of patients showed excellent improvement after one-course treatment and another 34% showed excellent improvement after two-course. The rest (44%) required three-course treatment to further reduce the number and size of residual lesions. Adverse effects were minimal. The symptoms and signs in recurrent cases (14%) were much milder and responded well to conventional topical medication.
Conclusions
ALA PDT is a simple, safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of severe acne. Further studies to fully understand its mechanisms and optimize its effectiveness are needed.
Keywords: Severe acne vulgaris, Aminolevulinic acid, Photodynamic therapy, Red LEDs
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PII: S1572-1000(10)00004-9
doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2010.01.003
© 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
