Established and Emerging Laser Treatments for Acne Vulgaris in Diverse Skin Types

This review examined studies published during the past two decades in which lasers were used to treat acne vulgaris. Its aim was to assess the mechanism, efficacy, and safety of lasers as a treatment modality for this vexingly common and potentially disfiguring condition.

PubMed searches were performed to identify articles published through December 2023 that discuss the use of lasers for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Various lasers, including visible light, infrared, fractional ablative CO₂ lasers with isotretinoin, and two 1726-nm lasers approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, show efficacy in treating acne vulgaris. Studies vary widely in their design, characteristics, and methodological rigor.

The available literature on using lasers to treat acne is limited by variability in study design, short-term follow up, and small sample sizes.

Lasers have demonstrated efficacy as primary or adjunctive treatment modalities for acne vulgaris in certain clinical scenarios. Larger randomized, controlled, double-blinded studies with sufficiently long follow-up periods and standardized objective measurements are needed to substantiate the efficacy of lasers in treating acne vulgaris.