Photodynamic Therapy With Topical 5% 5-Aminolevulinic Acid for the Treatment of Truncal Acne in Asian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using topical application of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is an effective treatment for acne vulgaris. However, there is no clear consensus on the treatment regime in Asians. AIM: To determine the efficacy, safety and tolerability of 5% ALA PDT in the treatment of truncal acne in Asians. METHODS: . The numbers of acne lesions were recorded at baseline and regular intervals after treatment together with any adverse effects. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were recruited. Overall, there was a 64.2% reduction in the inflammatory lesions count and a 24.3% reduction in the non-inflammatory lesions count at the end of the 12 weeks follow-up. Both mean lesions counts were significantly lower than baseline at all follow-up time points with paired t tests (all P values <0.05). Pain was well tolerated among our patients. CONCLUSION: A single treatment session of 5%-ALA PDT was effective for the treatment of truncal acne with little side effects and acceptable in our Asian patients. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):727-732.