The effectiveness of adapalene 0.1% with intense pulsed light versus benzoyl peroxide 5% with intense pulsed light in the treatment of acne vulgaris: A comparative study

Abstract

Background:Acne vulgaris (AV) is one of the most common skin diseases with major psychological impacts. Hence, selecting the best treatment modality is so important; there are different ways to treat AV such as topical and systemic agents, laser, and also photodynamic therapy. In this study, we tried to assess the difference between the efficacy of combination therapy with intense pulsed light (IPL) and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) in comparison with IPL and adapalene (AD) in the treatment of the mild to moderate AV.Materials and Methods:Thirty Iranian females in reproductive age with mild to moderate acne were enrolled in this study. The left and right side of the patients were randomized to receive either AD 0.1% or BPO 5% every other day plus three sessions of monthly apart IPL in the treatment of AV. Different parameters of AV such as acne severity index (ASI), total acne lesions counting (TLC), and Acne Global Severity Scale (AGSS) were measured before, during, and after the treatments.Results:There was a significant difference regarding AGSS, TLC, and ASI before and after treatment with AD plus IPL (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a significant difference regarding AGSS, TLC, and ASI before and after treatment with BP plus IPL (P < 0.001). However, no significant difference regarding AGSS, TLC, and ASI were observed between the 2 groups after treatment (P > 0.05). No significant side effects were observed in both groups.Conclusion:Our study shows that there was not any significant difference between combining IPL with either AD or BPO so we can use either one of these combinations to achieve similar efficacy.

The Anti-Acne Effect of Near-Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy

“…There are many reports confirming that the IPL procedure is accompanied by pain and burning, as well as significant postoperative redness of the skin. 34,35 In our study, as it has already been emphasized, no such side effects were found.…”

“…It also seems very important that all the abovementioned studies, including LED, IPL or LLLT, were based on counting acne lesions and assessing the final effect based on photographic documentation. 15,[31][32][33][34]36 In our study, due to sebumetric measurement, the effect of the performed procedures on the activity of sebaceous glands was also analyzed. Thus, it was proved that a series of six treatments using a low level near-infrared laser, apart from reducing all types of acne lesions, finally resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the amount of sebum secreted, which confirms the conclusions drawn earlier based on the research conducted by Jung et al in vitro study.…”

A Comparative Study on the Usefulness of Fractional CO2 and Fractional Er:YAG in Acne Scars: A Split-Face Trial

“…[ 12 ] Fractional carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser is among the early light-based modalities with acceptable results in various dermatological conditions including acne scars, with fewer post-treatment complications than CO 2 laser. [ 8 12 ] Fractional CO 2 has been used as a monotherapy and has shown to result in mild to significant improvements in almost 80% of acne scars with minimal side effects. [ 8 30 31 ] According to the available data, the use of CO 2 should be based on the characteristics of the scar, individualized plans, and the patient-side issues.…”

“…This originates from the aberrant production and deposition of collagen around inflamed follicles, resulting in visibly depressed scars. [ 8 ] Acne scars can be classified into three groups: atrophic scar, hypertrophic scar, and keloid. Atrophic acne scar can be categorized into three sub-types: ice-pick scar, rolling scar, and boxcar scar according to their width, depth, and three-dimensional architectures.…”

“…Atrophic acne scar can be categorized into three sub-types: ice-pick scar, rolling scar, and boxcar scar according to their width, depth, and three-dimensional architectures. [ 8 9 10 ] Facial atrophic acne scarring can appear after any type of acne. [ 11 ]…”