Acne Vulgaris Discussions and Research

A study out of the University of Regensburg in Germany has been released on the overall efficacy of photodynamic therapy for the treatment of acne. PDT is used for the treatment of acne in many clinics.

The study updates the previous work on PDT for acne. Here is an exerpt of the abstract:

Until recently, clinically approved indications have been restricted to actinic keratoses, nodular and superficial basal cell carcinoma, and - since 2006 - Bowen disease. However, the range of indications has been expanding continuously.

PDT is also used for the treatment of non-malignant conditions such as acne vulgaris and leishmaniasis, as well as for treating premature skin aging due to sun exposure. Here, PDT is used for the stimulation of immunomodulatory effects in contrast to the induction of necrosis and apoptosis as produced in the treatment of skin tumors. The porphyrin precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or its methyl ester (MAL, so far the only approved formulation in Europe) is applied topically as photosensitizer to exclude systemic reactions.

Possible light sources include lasers as well as incoherent light sources; irradiation with incoherent light sources is cheaper and more appropriate for large treatment areas. The main advantages of PDT in comparison to other treatment modalities are its excellent cosmetic results and its high remission rates despite low invasiveness.This article provides up-to-date information about PDT with focus on recently published studies.

It will be interesting to read the full study and see what new conclusions are drawn on the subject.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm and is filed under Light Based Therapy and Laser. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.