Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Multimedia
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • Plain Language Summaries
    • Call for Papers
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Job Seekers
    • Media
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • RSS
    • Email Alerts
    • Journal Club
    • Annals Forum (Archive)
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
  • Careers

User menu

  • My alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Annals of Family Medicine
  • My alerts
Annals of Family Medicine

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Multimedia
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • Plain Language Summaries
    • Call for Papers
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Job Seekers
    • Media
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • RSS
    • Email Alerts
    • Journal Club
    • Annals Forum (Archive)
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Follow annalsfm on Twitter
  • Visit annalsfm on Facebook
Review ArticleSystematic Review

Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Anna Mae Scott, Paulina Stehlik, Justin Clark, Dexing Zhang, Zuyao Yang, Tammy Hoffmann, Chris Del Mar and Paul Glasziou
The Annals of Family Medicine November 2019, 17 (6) 545-553; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2445
Anna Mae Scott
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: ascott@bond.edu.au
Paulina Stehlik
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Justin Clark
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
BA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Dexing Zhang
2Division of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Zuyao Yang
3Division of Epidemiology, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Tammy Hoffmann
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Chris Del Mar
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
MD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paul Glasziou
1Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

PURPOSE Antibiotic use in acne treatment raises concerns about increased resistance, necessitating alternatives. We assessed the effectiveness of blue-light therapy for acne.

METHODS We analyzed randomized controlled trials comparing blue light with nonlight interventions. Studies included people of any age, sex, and acne severity, in any setting, and reported on investigator-assessed change in acne severity, patients’ assessment of improvement, change in inflammatory or noninflammatory lesions, and adverse events. Where data were sufficient, mean differences were calculated.

RESULTS Eighteen references (14 trials) including 698 participants were included. Most of the trials were small and short (<12 weeks) and had high risk of bias. Investigator-assessed improvement was quantitatively reported in 5 trials, of which 3 reported significantly greater improvement in blue light than comparator, and 2 reported improvement. Patients’ assessments of improvement were quantitatively reported by 2 trials, favoring blue light. Mean difference in the mean number of noninflammatory lesions was nonsignificant between groups at weeks 4, 8, and 10-12 and overall (mean difference [MD] = 3.47; 95% CI, -0.76 to 7.71; P = 0.11). Mean difference in the mean number of inflammatory lesions was likewise nonsignificant between groups at any of the time points and overall (MD = 0.16; 95% CI, -0.99 to 1.31; P = 0.78). Adverse events were generally mild and favored blue light or did not significantly differ between groups.

CONCLUSION Methodological and reporting limitations of existing evidence limit conclusions about the effectiveness of blue light for acne. Clinicians and patients should therefore consider the balance between its benefits and adverse events, as well as costs.

Key words
  • acne vulgaris
  • humans
  • light
  • phototherapy
  • Received for publication November 30, 2018.
  • Revision received March 21, 2019.
  • Accepted for publication April 11, 2019.
  • © 2019 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.
View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Annals of Family Medicine: 17 (6)
The Annals of Family Medicine: 17 (6)
Vol. 17, Issue 6
November/December 2019
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
  • In Brief
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Annals of Family Medicine.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Annals of Family Medicine
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Annals of Family Medicine web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
7 + 6 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Anna Mae Scott, Paulina Stehlik, Justin Clark, Dexing Zhang, Zuyao Yang, Tammy Hoffmann, Chris Del Mar, Paul Glasziou
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2019, 17 (6) 545-553; DOI: 10.1370/afm.2445

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Get Permissions
Share
Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Anna Mae Scott, Paulina Stehlik, Justin Clark, Dexing Zhang, Zuyao Yang, Tammy Hoffmann, Chris Del Mar, Paul Glasziou
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2019, 17 (6) 545-553; DOI: 10.1370/afm.2445
Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Patient Communication Preferences for Prostate Cancer Screening Discussions: A Scoping Review
  • Comparative Efficacy of Pharmacological Treatments for Acne Vulgaris: A Network Meta-Analysis of 221 Randomized Controlled Trials
  • Vaginal Swab vs Urine for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis: A Meta-Analysis
Show more Systematic Review

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Person groups:
    • Children's health
  • Methods:
    • Quantitative methods

Keywords

  • acne vulgaris
  • humans
  • light
  • phototherapy

Content

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Past Issues in Brief
  • Multimedia
  • Articles by Type
  • Articles by Subject
  • Supplements
  • Online First
  • Calls for Papers

Info for

  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • Job Seekers
  • Media

Engage

  • E-mail Alerts
  • e-Letters (Comments)
  • RSS
  • Journal Club
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Subscribe
  • Family Medicine Careers

About

  • About Us
  • Editorial Board & Staff
  • Sponsoring Organizations
  • Copyrights & Permissions
  • Contact Us
  • eLetter/Comments Policy

© 2023 Annals of Family Medicine