STUDY FINDS LIGHT THERAPY WITH PNEUMATIC ENERGY OFFERS PATIENTS

STUDY FINDS LIGHT THERAPY WITH PNEUMATIC ENERGY OFFERS PATIENTS
RAPID ACNE CLEARING
Wausau, Wisconsin Ò April 13, 2007. Patients in an acne study using a new therapy that combines intense pulsed light (IPL) and pneumatic energy experienced a 65 percent to 80 percent improvement in their acne lesions after as few as two to three weekly treatments, according to new research presented today at the 27th Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) in Grapevine, TX. Traditional oral and topical therapies can typically take six to eight weeks to produce noticeable acne clearing.
The multi-center study, headed by Gilly Munavalli, MD, Medical Director of the Dermatology, Laser, and Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte, NC, and Clinical Instructor of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, involved 15 patients with mild to severe acne who were treated with photopneumatic therapy (PPX). Unlike conventional pulsed light therapy, PPX technology features a vacuum suctioning technology that brings the sebaceous, or oil, glands closer to skinÌs surface for more presumed exposure to broadband light to achieve a rapid regression of active acne.
ÏThe primary cause of acne is over-activity of the oil glands, which we feel responds to pulsed-light energy by selectively heating the sebum in the oil glands and decreasing glandular activity. This study was designed to test whether adding the unique vacuum delivery component to the light treatment would aid in unclogging the pores and lead to greater clearing of active acne,Ó said Dr. Munavalli. ÏIn all subjects, the vacuum device was highly successful in what we refer to as Îpore cleansingÌ or eliminating the overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria that clogs the oil glands and proliferates on the skin of people prone to acne. As a result, we found a substantial clearing of active acne lesions and the prevention of new acne flares following treatment, even menstrual cycle-sensitive acne in female subjects.Ó
Patients selected for the study previously failed to demonstrate improvement using other conventional medical acne therapies. Each participant was treated with a series of four full-face PPX treatments, performed one week apart. Each full-face treatment lasted an average of 10 to 20 minutes. The severity of the patientsÌ acne was graded on a standardized scale with blinded physician photographic assessment. To evaluate the success of this procedure, clinical photos of each patient were obtained before starting the treatment, prior to each subsequent treatment, and one month following the final treatment.
Dr. Munavalli reported that overall acne activity was markedly reduced and noticeable after two to three PPX treatments. Specifically, patients experienced 65 percent less inflammatory acne, papular and pustular lesions, as well as 70 percent to 80 percent less acne comedones, commonly referred to as whiteheads and blackheads. Since the vacuum technology enhances the pulsed-light effect, less energy is required with PPX than other laser therapies. Accordingly, patients reported only minimal pain accompanying the procedure. Dr. Munavalli noted that side effects and risks were minimal, with no blistering or pigmentation changes observed. Transient redness occurred but resolved within a few hours after treatment.
ÏPPX is an excellent new treatment option for patients who are frustrated by their chronic acne and in need of a therapy to jumpstart the clearing process,Ó said Dr. Munavalli. ÏWeÌre finding that this treatment is extremely effective when used in combination with other, more traditional oral or topical therapies. Plus, patients are reporting reduced redness in acne scars following PPX treatments, which we will want to investigate more carefully.Ó
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) is the worldÌs preeminent resource for laser research, safety, education, and clinical knowledge. Founded in 1980, ASLMS promotes excellence in patient care by advancing clinical application of lasers and related technologies. For more information and physician referrals, please visit the SocietyÌs website: www.aslms.org.