Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Journal of Isfahan Medical School

The Effect of Phototherapy with Blue Light in Treatment Acne Vulgaris in Compare with Conventional Therapy with Tetracycline

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors
Gita Faghihi 1
Anahita Vali 2
Nafiseh Sarraf Bank 3
Elnaz Ahmadieh 3
1 Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
3 Medical Student, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract
Background: Acne Vulgaris is a common inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous follicles that affect about 90 percent of the adolescents. Phototherapy has been suggested as an alternative treatment for acne. Phototherapy with blue light (wavelength 405-420 nm) is one of these methods with a good therapeutic effect on inflammatory acne lesions. In this study, the effect of treatment of acne by phototherapy with blue light was compared with conventional tetracycline treatments.Methods: This was a prospective clinical trial study on patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Patients were randomly devided in two groups of 44 subjects (phototherapy or standard treatment). Patients in both groups were followed every 4 weeks to 12 weeks. Type and number of lesions and acne severity index (ASI) were studied before starting the study, during treatment and at each visit. The data were analyzed by Student-t and chi-square test.Finding: The mean age of patients in both groups did not differ significantly. The incidence of comedones, papules, pustules and the mean of acne severity index in reference group that received standard therapy were significantly less than the phototherapy group.Conclusion: This study showed that the effect of phototherapy on comedones is less than inflammatory lesions that may occur because of antibacterial effect of phototherapy with blue light on Propionibacterium acnes. Based on the results, the neonatal phototherapy lamps is not appropriate to obtain a therapeutic effect on acne vulgaris.
Keywords
Acne vulgaris
Phototherapy
Acne severity index
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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 28, Issue 123 - Serial Number 123
November and December 2011
Pages 1894-1900

  • Receive Date 03 April 2011
  • Accept Date 06 April 2022