{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T03:29:16Z","timestamp":1768879756027,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768262400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007824","name":"Soochow University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007824","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002701","name":"Ministry of Education","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002701","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002947","name":"Anhui Medical University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002947","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a promising treatment method for acne vulgaris. However, no studies have directly compared IPL with light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy when used as adjuncts to systemic doxycycline or isotretinoin in acne treatment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IPL vs. LED phototherapy as an early intervention strategy, combined with doxycycline or isotretinoin, in patients with acne vulgaris.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A prospective, split-face, controlled pilot study was conducted. Forty Asian participants with moderate-to-severe acne received a 4-week continuous split-face treatment to assess the rapid response of the two phototherapy modalities in the early phase of treatment. The protocol involved weekly IPL (400\u2013600\u202fnm\/800\u20131,200\u202fnm filter) on one side of the face and twice-weekly red-blue LED phototherapy on the contralateral side. Outcomes were assessed using the investigator-assessed Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) scores and a patient-reported Likert satisfaction scale.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Based on investigator assessments, IPL and LED produced comparable improvement in acne severity, demonstrating that significant improvement can be achieved early in the treatment course. In the doxycycline group, the mean improvement was 46.08% on the LED-treated side and 48.82% on the IPL-treated side; in the isotretinoin group, the mean improvement was 48.62% on the LED-treated side and 46.69% on the IPL-treated side. Patient satisfaction tended to be slightly higher on the IPL-treated side during this early stage. On the LED-treated side, \u201cvery satisfied\u201d was reported by three participants (15%) in the doxycycline group and four participants (20%) in the isotretinoin group. Overall, there was no significant difference in efficacy between the two devices at this early time point (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;gt;\u202f0.05). In terms of safety, no serious adverse events were observed in either group. Transient adverse reactions (pain, erythema, and edema) occurred more frequently on the IPL-treated side.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>IPL is comparable to LED in clinical efficacy for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne in Asian patients when combined with doxycycline or isotretinoin, with both modalities demonstrating rapid symptomatic improvement early in the treatment course.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Clinical trial number<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Identifier, ChiCTR2500107064.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2025.1742480","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T05:15:59Z","timestamp":1768281359000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Dual-filter IPL vs. LED phototherapy combined with systemic therapy for moderate-to-severe acne in Asian patients"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Xuetong","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University","place":["Suzhou, China"]},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wenjun","family":"Cui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University","place":["Suzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Min","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University","place":["Suzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Min","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University","place":["Suzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1205","DOI":"10.1111\/ijd.16220","article-title":"What is new in adult acne for the last 2\u202fyears: focus on acne pathophysiology and treatments","volume":"61","author":"Dagnelie","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Dermatol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S225","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2019-2056L","article-title":"Current issues in the treatment of acne vulgaris","volume":"145","author":"Habeshian","year":"2020","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"681","DOI":"10.1007\/s40257-023-00789-1","article-title":"Targeting inflammation in acne: current treatments and future prospects","volume":"24","author":"Cruz","year":"2023","journal-title":"Am J Clin Dermatol"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1006.e1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2023.12.017","article-title":"Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris","volume":"90","author":"Reynolds","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"567","DOI":"10.1177\/12034754241265697","article-title":"Visible light in the treatment of acne vulgaris","volume":"28","author":"Akuffo-Addo","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Cutan Med Surg"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1111\/phpp.12769","article-title":"Comparison of red light and blue light therapies for mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized controlled clinical study","volume":"38","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.1007\/s10103-020-03113-z","article-title":"Isotretinoin plus 420 nm intense pulsed light versus isotretinoin alone for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized, controlled study of efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction in Chinese subjects","volume":"36","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lasers Med Sci"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3221","DOI":"10.1007\/s10103-022-03606-z","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of low-level light therapy by delicate pulsed light combined with low-dose oral isotretinoin for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized split-face study","volume":"37","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lasers Med Sci"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e9366","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000009366","article-title":"Efficacy of photodynamic therapy combined with minocycline for treatment of moderate to severe facial acne vulgaris and influence on quality of life","volume":"96","author":"Xu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltimore)"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1111\/jocd.15046","article-title":"A randomized, controlled trial of intense pulsed light in combination with minocycline hydrochloride for the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris","volume":"8","author":"Qu","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cosmet Dermatol"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1027","DOI":"10.1080\/14740338.2022.2102605","article-title":"Oral isotretinoin for acne: a complete overview","volume":"21","author":"Villani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Expert Opin Drug Saf"},{"key":"ref12","first-page":"1431","article-title":"Photodynamic and photobiological effects of light-emitting diode (LED) therapy in dermatological disease: an update","volume":"33","author":"Elisabetta","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lasers Medical ence"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.1111\/ijd.13814","article-title":"Combined 400-600nm and 800-1200nm intense pulsed phototherapy of facial acne vulgaris","volume":"18","author":"Knight","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Drugs Dermatol"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1431","DOI":"10.1007\/s10103-018-2584-8","article-title":"Photodynamic and photobiological effects of light-emitting diode (LED) therapy in dermatological disease: an update","volume":"33","author":"Sorbellini","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lasers Med Sci"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12418","DOI":"10.1111\/dth.12418","article-title":"Significant reduction of inflammation and sebaceous glands size in acne vulgaris lesions after intense pulsed light treatment","volume":"30","author":"Barakat","year":"2017","journal-title":"Dermatol Ther"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1007\/s00403-024-02979-1","article-title":"Targeting sebaceous glands: a review of selective photothermolysis for acne vulgaris treatment","volume":"316","author":"Pulumati","year":"2024","journal-title":"Arch Dermatol Res"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1401","DOI":"10.1097\/DSS.0000000000002009","article-title":"Safety of combination laser or intense pulsed light therapies and doxycycline for the treatment of Rosacea","volume":"45","author":"Schilling","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dermatologic Surg"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1742480\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T14:52:27Z","timestamp":1768834347000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1742480\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]]},"references-count":17,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2025.1742480"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1742480","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]]},"article-number":"1742480"}}