In September 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a light therapy device for the treatment of moderate inflammatory
acne. The ClearLight Acne PhotoClearing System emits high-intensity blue (415nm) light that kills the bacteria that cause this particular form of acne. ClearLight is only one of several similar commercial products released for this use. Dermatologists are currently investigating a variety of treatment techniques involving light.
ClearLight treatments are given in 15-20 minute sessions twice a week for four to eight weeks. Patients simply lie on a bed in the dermatologist’s office for 15 minutes while the ClearLight device is directed at their acne-affected skin—most often the face, neck, back, or chest. Each treatment costs about $50, so the total cost of treatment is about $200.
Not everyone in studies of the Clear Light system responded to treatment, though. According to the FDA’s Neil Ogden, “about half of the patients who finished all eight treatments saw at least a 50% decrease in the number of pimples.”
Medications to treat acne range from topical products to antibiotics, and in more severe cases, the drug Accutane. Although Accutane works in virtually 100% of acne patients, drugs can have unwanted side effects. An extreme example is Accutane, which causes severe birth defects in children of women taking the drug. (For this reason the women taking the drug are required to use highly reliable contraception.) In addition, while antibiotics are a mainstay in acne treatment, many of the bacteria that cause acne are resistant to some antibiotics.
The ClearLight system offers people with moderate inflammatory acne a non-drug option that so far has been shown to be painless and without severe side effects. No studies to date have compared ClearLight with conventional treatments, but in one uncontrolled study of 415nm acne treatment 50% of patients were “highly satisfied” with treatment.
Because the ClearLight system works by primarily killing the bacteria that cause moderate inflammatory acne, it may not work well for severe acne or mild cases of pimples (blackheads and whiteheads). These are not driven entirely by bacteria.
Last reviewed June 2008 by Ross Zeltser, MD, FAAD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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