Blue Light Acne Therapy

Blue light acnetherapy – the experiments

 Using blue light in acne therapy is still rather experimental. However several clinic centers are working on theory and researching the possibility of using blue light in acne treatment and the necessary technologies have already reached the pre-market application stage. However, the amount of data to gathered before offering the blue light treatment on the market is still very high.

Blue light acnetherapy – the theory

Blue light acne treatment is based on an assumption that bacteria of P. Acne are sensitive to blue light. Mechanism of this sensitivity is based on fact that bacteria that causes acne inflammation pumps out tiny molecules called porphyrins. When those molecules are exposed to certain wavelengths of light, they produce free radicals that kill the bacteria. When bacteria are gone, the source of inflammation vanishes and acne eventually clears up. Some blue light acne therapies also include red light as a suppository, because red light quickens the healing processes of human skin.

Blue light acnetreatments – the examples

There are several different methods of blue light therapies going through the last phase of tests.

1.The ClearLight Acne PhotoClearing (APC) System is based on blue-violet light spectrum that penetrates the skin and destroys surface and ductal P. Acne bacteria. ClearLight technology uses high power enhanced metal halide lamp with wavelength emission about 407-420 nm. Manufacturer reports that after two week-long treatment about 80% patients with mild to average acne shoved improvement, while no side effects were observed. However, this study has not been published in peer-reviewed medical literature. Due to lack of independent medical articles on the effectiveness of high intensity blue-spectrum (407 - 420 nm) light in acne treatment, the ClearLight System is considered still in the research phase.

2. Another one system, Omnilux Blue Photo Dynamic Therapy is similar to the ClearLight. It involves the application of the blue light. However Omnilux utilizes Light Emmiting Diodes technology instead of metal halide lamp to deliver 408 nm blue light to the targeted acne area. About 1700 focused diodes produces enough light energy to be effective versus acne. Same as with ClearLight, Omnilux still lacks enough tests to enter pre-market phase.

3. Candela Smooth Beam Laser System is little different from the two systems described above. Smooth Beam utilizes laser technology to produce monochromatic blue light and deliver it strict to the target. Unlike other laser technologies used in acne treatments, Smooth Beam is based on the same principle like other blue light acne treatments. The classic laser therapies use infrared or red light laser pulses and concentrates rather on fighting with scars than acne itself. Candela Smooth Beam Light System use blue laser light rather to kill bacteria than to vaporize the damaged skin. Unfortunately, this method also lacks serious clinical studies, so it should be considered as experimental method.

4. The Levulan Kerastick differs from above methods in that it uses chemical support. It starts from topical application of aminolevulinic acid activated using a blue light source.  ALA is metabolized in the skin cells to form the photosensitizing molecule protoporphyrin IX. Activated by blue light, the molecules release oxygen radicals toxic to acne bacteria. However, this promising method also lacks medical studies to prove its effectiveness.

Blue light acne treatments – the future

As stated above, every method of blue light acne therapy lacks enough evidences of its effectiveness. Most medical companies works hard on this problem while still improving technology involved. The potential advantage of this type of acne therapy over other laser methods is its non-invasiveness and resulting short recovery time. Blue light can be the future of acne treatment, but there is still a lot of work to do.