Efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light in the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris with a novel filter

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin diseases affecting young people. Intense pulsed light (IPL) has become a well-recognized method in the treatment of acne vulgaris. We aim evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a novel IPL filter at wavelength of 400–600 nm and 800–1,200 nm in the treatment of inflammatory acne lesions. Twenty-one patients with Pillsbury I–III facial acne vulgaris between July 2017 and January 2018 were enrolled in this prospective clinical study. Five sessions of IPL treatment were administered to the subjects at 4-week interval. Final assessment was performed 1 month after the final treatment. One month posttreatment, over 75% subjects exhibited excellent or good response. Of the Pillsbury I–II patients, the effective rate reached 88.24%. The inflammatory lesions were dramatically decreased (25.23 ± 2.76 versus 14.01 ± 1.98) and statistically evident (P = .031). According to Hayashi assessment of acne severity, there was a significant improvement at follow-up visit (P = .022). Moreover, patients reported significant improvements in self-evaluation. The novel IPL filter at wavelength of 400–600 nm and 800–1,200 nm provides an effective option to treatment of inflammatory acne lesions, especially for Pillsbury I–II acne patients, with minimal reversible side effects, such as transient post-inflammatory pigmentation.