Lighting the Path: Evaluating Light-Emitting Diode Therapy Versus Salicylic Acid Peel for Inflammatory Acne- A Case Series Analysis

Aims: This study aims to assess the efficacy of red, blue, and combined red-blue light therapy versus 20% salicylic acid peel in treating Grades 2 and 3 inflammatory acne.

Study Design: Cases studies.

Place and Duration of Study: Universidade Nove de Julho, Universidade Adventista de São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil. Between March 2022 from April 2024.

Introduction: Acne is an inflammatory disorder that occurs in the pilosebaceous follicles and deeply affects the self-esteem and quality of life of individuals. Conventional treatments usually produce side effects and promote antibiotic resistance. Light therapy has emerged as a promising modality in clinical and scientific realms for acne management. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of red, blue and combined red-blue light therapy versus 20% salicylic acid peeling in the treatment of inflammatory acne grade 2 and 3.

Methodology: We divided 20 participants into four groups who used a mask of LEDs. Group 1 used a mask with blue light (470nm), group 2 used a mask with red light (660nm), group 3 used a mask with red (660nm) and blue (470nm) lights combined in the same device. The groups that used the LED masks received the treatment 3 times a week for 30 days, totaling 12 sessions. Group 4 was submitted to two sessions of salicylic acid peeling at 20%, every 15 days.

Results: Blue light (group 1) showed an improvement of 28.40% in the general skin condition. Group 4 of salicylic acid peeling had an improvement of 28.37%. The combined red and blue light group had an improvement of 26.43%, while the red light showed an improvement of 10.97%.

Conclusion: Based on the series of cases presented, all groups showed improvement, but blue light showed higher results than red light and salicylic acid. However, studies with a larger number of participants should be performed and the ideal parameters for Led use in inflammatory acne should be discussed.