Acne vulgaris
Portable red light phototherapy for acne split-face RCT
Na JI, Suh DH. Dermatologic Surgery. 2007.
A small split-face randomized trial tested portable red LED phototherapy for mild-to-moderate acne.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
panel-replicable
Key findings
- Participants treated one randomized side of the face for 15 minutes twice daily for 8 weeks.
- Noninflammatory and inflammatory lesion counts improved significantly versus the control side.
- The sample size was small, so this should be treated as supportive rather than definitive.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | 15 minutes |
| Frequency | Twice daily |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Treatment area | One side of the face |
| Device type | Portable red light-emitting device |
Caveats
- Small split-face trial.
- Does not establish superiority over conventional acne treatment.