Does Blue Light Therapy Help Acne?

Market and patient demand are high for light therapy as an alternative to antibiotic approaches to acne treatment. But, limited evidence is found on the effectiveness of blue light therapy for acne, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal Annals of Family Medicine. A new systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials of blue light therapy for acne shows methodological and reporting limitations, including small sample sizes, short intervention periods, and variation in reporting quality for acne outcomes.

Only three of the trials reported significant improvements in expert-assessed acne severity with blue light therapy over a control group. The majority of trials do not provide sufficient evidence to conclude effectiveness.

Acne is one of the most common reasons for clinical consultations. Market and patient demand are high for light therapy as an alternative to antibiotic approaches to acne treatment. Because the evidence for blue light therapy is not conclusive, patients should discuss with their clinicians the possible benefits, costs, and alternatives for acne treatment.

Blue light therapy may be beneficial for some patients, but more research is needed.

Source-Eurekalert